Race-ready Volkswagen Polo R WRC revealed

The long wait is almost over and the wraps have finally come off the race-ready Volkswagen Polo R WRC at a special launch event in Monaco overnight. In pictures, at least, the newest WRC weapon looks hard to beat.

Powered by a 1.6 litre turbocharged four cylinder, as the WRC specs dictate, the Polo R WRC has 232kW (315hp) and 425Nm to play with. On the right surface it will see off 100km/h in 3.9 seconds, and don’t you reckon that would be a heap of fun to experience!

Volkswagen will start the season with two cars, driven by Sebastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia and Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila. Team bosses have clearly stated that both drivers “will start the season on equal footing.” But it won’t be long until they’ll have a junior pairing snapping at their heels.

Making their debut in round four, at Rally Portugal, will be junior pairing Andreas Mikkelsen and Mikko Markkula. They have strong ambitions, too. “Volkswagen is a very goal-oriented team, which has developed beyond measure during the preparations for the World Rally Championship,” says Mikkelsen. “The team left nothing to chance during the ‘Dakar’ project, and demonstrated the right approach to motorsport. I can learn a lot here and achieve a lot in the future.”

Meanwhile, Sebastien Ogier will be hoping his year away from the top-level hasn’t gone to waste. “After over a year and a half of preparations, I can hardly wait to pull up to the start of the ‘Monte’ with the Polo R WRC and see where we stand compared to the opposition,” he said.

Volkswagen will have tough competition in the form of Citroën, but we won’t be at all surprised if the Polo R WRC is able to sweep all before it. We think Jari-Matti Latvala agrees with us, too. “For me, Volkswagen is the best option as I strive to close in on my personal goal: the World Championship title,” said Latvala. “The team has impressed me with its determination and the pleasant way in which everyone treats each other. Every individual is absolutely committed to helping the whole team be successful. I am really excited about the Monte.”

The 2013 WRC season kicks off with Rallye Monte Carlo on 20 January.

More details on the Polo R WRC await after the break.

Double world premiere: the Volkswagen Polo R WRC in Monaco

Wolfsburg, 08 December 2012. Two Polo R WRCs, two world premieres: as of 2013, Volkswagen will line up in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), starting with the iconic Rally Monte Carlo (15–20 January). The driving crews, the final design of the 315-hp rally Polo and its sporty production counterpart were presented to about 250 guests and journalists in Monaco today. A good five weeks before its first competitive outing at the same location, the Polo R WRC developed for the World Rally Championship rolled over a symbolic starting ramp to huge applause in front of the famous Monte Carlo Casino, signifying the start of a new era for Volkswagen in motorsport. A few minutes previously, the street version of the Polo R WRC had also been unveiled.

“The launch of the Polo R WRC, which is now ready and raring to go, heralds a new era in motorsport for Volkswagen: the FIA World Rally Championship offers Volkswagen the opportunity to prove its sporty qualities in an environment, in which our cars have always been at home: on real streets,” says Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management responsible for development. “In doing so, we are not using extraordinary prototypes, but a Polo based on the standard production car. This proximity to the product and customer played an important role in our decision to commit to this form of global motorsport.”

“Volkswagen has prepared intensively for the World Rally Championship, and every single member of the team can hardly wait to finally get stuck into the competition with the Polo R WRC,” says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. “The World Rally Championship is a new challenge for us, and one that we are confronting with a host of good ideas and a strong team. Whether Sébastien Ogier, Jari-Matti Latvala, Andreas Mikkelsen or the team in the background, we have first-class personnel on board. 17 months of intensive development, testing and a lot of innovation have gone into the Polo R WRC. For what it’s worth, the Polo is also, in my eyes, a beautiful and spectacular rally car.”

Impressive driver/co-driver pairings for the World Rally Championship

A select driving line-up: Sébastien Ogier together with co-driver Julien Ingrassia (both France), and Jari-Matti Latvala and his co-driver Miikka Anttila (both Finland) will line up for Volkswagen with the Polo R WRC in the 2013 World Rally Championship. Ogier/Ingrassia and Latvala/Anttila will start the season on equal footing. Both have seven World Rally Championship race wins to their name. “After over a year and a half of preparations, I can hardly wait to pull up to the start of the ‘Monte’ with the Polo R WRC and see where we stand compared to the opposition,” says Sébastien Ogier, who was signed by Volkswagen in November 2011 and for whom the ‘Monte’ represents a home rally. His team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala, who finished third in the World Championship this year and is new to the Volkswagen team, adds: “For me, Volkswagen is the best option as I strive to close in on my personal goal: the World Championship title. The team has impressed me with its determination and the pleasant way in which everyone treats each other. Every individual is absolutely committed to helping the whole team be successful. I am really excited about the Monte.”

As of the Rally Portugal, the fourth round of the World Championship calendar, Volkswagen plans to run a third car. At the wheel will be two-time Intercontinental Rally Challenge (RC) champion, Volkswagen Junior driver Andreas Mikkelsen (Norway, new codriver: Mikko Markkula, Finland). “Volkswagen is a very goal-oriented team, which has developed beyond measure during the preparations for the World Rally Championship,” says Mikkelsen. “The team left nothing to chance during the ‘Dakar’ project, and demonstrated the right approach to motorsport. I can learn a lot here and achieve a lot in the future.”

As such, Volkswagen has assembled a driving squad that boasts both experience and ambition: at 28, 27 and 23 years of age, Ogier, Latvala and Mikkelsen are not only among the youngest, but also the fastest drivers on the rally scene.

Start of a new era for Volkswagen in motorsport

An XXL challenge: the searing heat of Central America on the one hand, the icy temperatures of Scandinavia on the other – the FIA World Rally Championship not only combines climatic extremes in one motorsport world championship, but also throws up a diverse range of different surfaces, all of which must be taken into consideration when developing a car for the World Rally Championship. The surfaces range from asphalt, gravel, mud and scree to ice and snow. The series is held in high esteem: alongside Formula One, the World Rally Championship is regarded as one of the most important global series in automobile racing. Together with the Le Mans 24 Hours, the “Indy 500” and the Monaco Grand Prix, the Rally Monte Carlo is one of the most famous motorsport events in the world.

Strong partners: R GmbH, Red Bull, Castrol and Michelin define the image

Volkswagen R GmbH lends its name to the Polo R WRC. The company is responsible within Volkswagen for the manufacture of exclusive, sporty cars, with an emphasis on performance, fittings and quality. The brand has demonstrated its close relationship with motorsport since 2010: R GmbH was also a title patron from the launch of the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup. Next phase of a close partnership: the large Red Bull logos on the Polo R WRC not only represent a sponsorship agreement, but an intense cooperation between Volkswagen and the energy drink manufacturer. Volkswagen and Red Bull share the same philosophy when it comes to the marketing and positioning of the sport – and have done for several years: the bulls were also a prominent feature on three victorious Race Touaregs during the “Dakar” project. Red Bull juniors “powered by Volkswagen” also line up in various Formula 3 racing series. Castrol is another long-term partner of Volkswagen in motorsport: after joint projects like the Rally Dakar, Nürburgring 24 Hours and Formula 3, the renowned British manufacturer of automobile lubricants is now also taking the next big step together with Volkswagen. As Tyre Partner, Volkswagen Motorsport works closely with Michelin – the French manufacturer has an enormous wealth of experience in the World Rally Championship.

World premiere number two: the street version of the Polo R WRC

Together with the Polo R WRC (315 hp, 0–100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, 1,200 kg) for the World Rally Championship, Volkswagen also presented the production counterpart and namesake of the rally car in Monaco: the Polo R WRC Street. The civilian version of the rally beast possesses an imposing exterior, with its white paint job, blue/grey stripes, WRC-style bumpers and 18-inch alloy rims. Under the bonnet, the Polo R WRC boasts a powerful drive train: the 2.0-litre TSI engine generates 162 kW (220 hp), produces 350 Nm of torque and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds. The Polo R WRC Street goes on sale on 11 December 2012, with the first cars delivered in September 2013.

Volkswagen Polo R WRC: FIA World Rally Championship – Technical specifications

Engine
Type: Straight-four engine with turbocharger and intercooling, transversally mounted in front of the front axle
Displacement: 1,600 cc
Power output: 232 kW (315 hp) at 6,250 rpm
Torque: 425 Nm at 5,000 rpm
Air restrictor: 33 mm (FIA regulation)
Engine control unit: Bosch

Power transmission
Gearbox: Sequential, six-speed racing gear box, transversally mounted
Final drive: Permanent four-wheel drive with fixed drive between the front and rear axles, multi-plate limited-slip differentials, front and rear
Clutch: Hydraulically actuated double-disk sintered metal clutch

Chassis/suspension
Front/rear: McPherson struts, dampers from ZF
Suspension travel: Approx. 180 mm on tarmac, approx. 275 mm on gravel
Steering: Servo-assisted rack and pinion steering
Braking system: Ventilated disc brakes (front Ø 355 mm on tarmac; front and rear Ø 300 mm on gravel) aluminium brake callipers (four callipers, front and rear)
Wheels: Size 8 x 18 inch for tarmac, 7 x 15 inch for gravel
Tyres: Michelin competition tyres

Chassis/bodywork
Build: FIA-conformant reinforced steel body

Dimensions and weight
Length/width/height: 3,976/1,820/1,356 mm
Track width: 1,610 mm
Wheelbase: 2,480 mm
Minimum weight: 1,200 kg

Performance
Acceleration: 0–100 km/h in approx. 3.9 seconds
Top speed: Up to approx. 200 km/h (depending on gear ratio)

Download

• Volkswagen Polo R WRC press kit (1.4mb PDF)