Some juicy WRC bits here. The upcoming 2017 Volkswagen Polo R WRC will generate about 380 hp or 60 hp more than the current car (318 hp). It will be lighter by about 25kg, wider by 50mm, and with more aerodynamic. New regulations allow such additions to the current, 2016 car seen pictured below. Well, technically it should look like the car below, but slightly wider.
Volkswagen's designers have produced a visual concept, which reveals how the Polo R WRC may appear in the coming season. Volkswagen has been developing the third generation of the Polo R WRC since the summer of 2015, when the International Automobile Federation (FIA) released the new regulations for the highest class of rallying in the world. Having already successfully tested key components in the current chassis, development of Volkswagen’s third World Rally Car now enters the crucial phase.
Motorsport Information
FIA World Rally Championship (WRC)
The Volkswagen for a new era of rallying:
development of the 2017 Polo R WRC enters crucial phase
Wolfsburg (12 April 2016). A taste of things to come in a new era of rallying: Volkswagen
gives an insight into the next generation of the Polo R WRC. The FIA World Rally
Championship (WRC) steps into a promising future in 2017. More powerful, faster, and more
spectacular --- the Polo R WRC will generate about 380 hp/280 kW in the future. That is
roughly 60 hp/45 kW more than the current car (318 hp/235 kW). Lighter, wider, and with
more aerodynamic freedom --- the Volkswagen designers have produced a visual concept,
which reveals how the Polo R WRC may appear in the coming season. Volkswagen has been
developing the third generation of the Polo R WRC since summer 2015, when the
International Automobile Federation (FIA) released the new regulations for the highest class
of rallying in the world. Having already successfully tested key components in the current
chassis, development of Volkswagen’s third World Rally Car now enters the crucial phase.
‘‘The 2017 WRC regulations include many spectacular technical innovations for the World
Rally Championship,’’ said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. ‘‘The World Rally Cars
of the future will incorporate all the experience that teams have gained in recent years. They
will be considerably more dynamic, whilst at the same time being safer. As usual, we are
working painstakingly on the development of the next generation of the Polo R WRC. The key
between now and the start of next season is to achieve the best possible prerequisites to
allow the 2017 Polo R WRC to be as successful as its two predecessors.‘‘
An even greater spectacle for the fans: the new generation of World Rally Cars
About 50 millimetres wider, 25 kilograms lighter, and roughly 380 hp/280 kW powerful --- that
is the key data for the 2017 rally Polo. The increase in performance of about 60 hp/45 kW is
achieved by widening the air restrictor from 33 millimetres, as it is at present, to 36
millimetres. Furthermore, electronic centre differential can now be used for the power
transmission. The most visually striking changes are the larger rear wing and broader front
spoiler. The minimum length of the car is now 3,900 millimetres, whilst the minimum weight
is reduced from 1,200 to 1,175 kilograms.
Although the new technical components have already been applied in numerous tests, the
appearance of the Polo R WRC will still change significantly by the start of the season at the
Rally Monte Carlo in January 2017. Whilst the final phase of development of the Polo R WRC
is already underway, Volkswagen currently tops the standings in all of the classifications in
this year’s world championship, having won the first three rallies of the season. The team
from Wolfsburg’s next outing is the fourth WRC round of the year --- the Rally Argentina (21-
24 April 2016).
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