Tag: WRC

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MINI WRC

MINI WRC team sign Kris Meeke, Gronholm could be next

Kris Meeke signs with MINI WRC

It has been reported that young UK rally driver Kris Meeke is the first to put pen to paper with the new MINI/Prodrive WRC team. Meeke, currently racing in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, would not confirm the signing saying only, “My focus remains on this year and winning rallies with Peugeot.”

However a source with links to Prodrive has said, “The deal with Kris is done. David Richards has talked a great deal about having a British driver and he’s been as good as his word.”

Meanwhile dual WRC champion Marcus Gronholm will be testing a MINI Countryman WRC prototype in Portugal this week which could result in him being the next major signing for the newest team in world rally.

The MINI WRC team will contest a reduced number of events in 2011 before taking on the WRC full-time in 2012.

[Source: Autosport | Thanks to Chris for the tip]

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Lancia

Lancia Delta Integrale photoshoot

Lancia Delta Integrale

The chaps over at My Car Portal have brought us another cracking set of images, this time of the Lancia Delta Integrale. The rally starlet was recently voted the hottest hatch of them all by UK readers of Autocar. So why not click on the image above and see the images for yourself.

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MINI WRC

Want to buy a WRC car?

MINI/Prodrive WRC

As most readers will be aware MINI and Prodrive recently announced a new partnership which is set to produce lovely little WRC racecar offspring. So, if you reckon the MINI Countryman is not all bad, plus you have a spare £346K (AU$600K) burning a hole in your pocket and you know how to flick a Scandinavian, or something like that, then head on over to MotoringFile and download the official brochure.

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Saab Volkswagen WRC

Saab, Volkswagen next to join WRC?

Saab 99

A recent report from autosport suggests both Saab and Volkswagen are considering a future in WRC. Saab have a proud rallying history but haven’t competed at the highest level in over 30 years.

It’s understood they could return in 2012 with a WRC car based on their 9-1 or 9-2 platform. They could even source their engines direct from MINI, who have also recently announced a return to top level rallying.

An anonymous source has reportedly told autosport that meetings between Saab and WRC organisers have already taken place, “The initial meeting has happened and there’s a huge amount of enthusiasm from all concerned. Like Mini, Saab has a great heritage in the sport and a return to the WRC makes a lot of sense.” The article states more talks are planned in October.

It was also reported that Volkswagen could be ready to commit to the WRC with a limited program in 2012, before a full on assault in 2013.

Simon Long, CEO of North One Sport, WRC’s promoter, said, “I think Mini’s announcement has given people a lot of confidence in the sport. The messages we’re getting are all positive.”

[Source: autosport | Pic: SaabRally]

Categories
MINI WRC

Dave Richards talking MINI and the WRC

Dave Richards

Dave Richards, Prodrive chairman, has been talking recently about the return of MINI to the world rally stage. You can see a brief television piece after the break. A more in-depth interview is also available on the WRC website. Here’s a snippet:

“The traditional way of producing a rally car is that a manufacturer comes along and asks you to make a car out of this product. Instead, we took the new regulations and said, right, what would the ultimate car look like? We used reverse engineering. Three months in, we looked at what we’d got and analysed this against the cars of all the manufacturers in the world. By March 2009 we had come up with 11 target cars. Then we went to talk to the manufacturers.

“Ironically the MINI wasn’t on that list because the car as we knew it was too small. It just didn’t fit the rules. But during discussions we found out that a new, larger car was in development – the four-door Countryman – and it went straight to the top of our list. Firstly, as being just about perfect in dimensions and layout, and secondly being one of the most iconic names and rally brands ever.”

Follow the source link below for the full interview.

[Source: WRC | Thanks to Chris for the YouTube tip]

Continue reading “Dave Richards talking MINI and the WRC”
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Lancia

Lancia Delta Integrale – read all about it!

Lancia Delta Integrale

Knowing there are many fans of the Lancia Delta Integrale among the AUSmotive readership I figured you’d like to know about a new book that has just been released by UK publishing house Veloce. Written by Graham Robson Lancia Delta 4WD/Integrale details the story of one world rallying’s most admired cars. The book totals 128 pages and is available now. More after the break.

Continue reading “Lancia Delta Integrale – read all about it!”
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Citroen WRC

The air up there

Citroen Racing

Citroën Racing have released their favourite top ten “big air” images from their time in WRC. Some of the images are quite spectacular, as the pic above from Sebastien Ogier in Turkey shows. Check the rest out after the, erm, jump. Make sure you click on each pic for the full 2000px super image.

Continue reading “The air up there”
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MINI WRC

MINI and Prodrive ready to announce WRC entry

MINI WRC

News has emerged that an announcement from MINI and Prodrive confirming a WRC entry is imminent. As the rendering above shows the rally car will be based on MINI’s new four-door Countryman model and will derive its engine from the 1.6 litre John Cooper Works range. It is expected the announcement will be made before the end of this week.

Norwegian driver Mads Ostberg is understood to undertaking a chief testing role with the MINI/Prodrive program and will likely sign on as one of the drivers for the 2011 season.

Despite these latest murmurings the car is still in its early stages of development. As a result the MINI is not expected to debut in the WRC until Round 5 of next year’s championship.

More news as it comes to hand.

[Source: Autosport | Pic: theSwitchback]

Categories
Citroen WRC

Citroën DS3 R3 – customer rally car

Citroen DS3 R3

This spunky looking machine is Citroën’s latest rally car. The DS3 R3 has been developed for the FIA’s R3T category and  features a 1.6 litre turbocharged engine pumping out 210 horsepower. There’s also a pretty healthy 350Nm on offer. Drawing on the technical knowledge of the immensely successful C4 WRC program the DS3 R3 is fitted with a 6-speed sequential gearbox.

The DS3 R3 is essentially a customer car and already has 10,000km of testing across all kinds of typical rallying surfaces under its belt. The R3 is scheduled to make its race debut towards the end of this year. Citroën Racing starts with a road going DS3 THP 150 and will make the racecars available in kit or ready-to-race form.

Continue reading “Citroën DS3 R3 – customer rally car”
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Motorsports Video

Top guns

Old skool rally compilation

If you were a fan of the video ‘This is rallying’, then you will love this clip as well. There’s eight minutes of thrills, spills and non-stop action. All your favourites are featured including Audi, Datsun, Ford, Lancia, Porshe, Toyota, many more. The video is all yours after the break.

[Thanks to Tom for the tip]

Continue reading “Top guns”
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Audi

Walter drives down memory lane

Walter Rohrl, Audi Quattro

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Audi Quattro motor racing legend Walter Röhrl has stepped behind the wheel of a beautifully maintained 1984 Group B Quattro for the first time in 26 years. Fortunately the stretch of road chosen for this leisurly drive is the Col de Turini, from the Monte Carlo Rally. And, more fortunately, there were cameras there to catch the action.

Take the jump now to see the clip in full.

[Source: Autocar]

Continue reading “Walter drives down memory lane”
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Motorsports Video WRC

This is rallying

Strap yourselves in for 5 minutes and 23 seconds of rallying porn. This “home made” clip captures the highs and lows of rallying, featuring footage from the last 30 years or so. Including plenty of action from the World Rally Championship.

Vatanen, Kankkunen, Sainz, Mäkinen, McRae, Gronholm. Audi, Ford, Lancia, Mitsubishi, Renault, Subaru, Toyota. All the big names are there, and then some. Well, except for Loeb and Citröen. But don’t mind that, this is a superb bit of YouTube kit. Enjoy!

[Source: YouTube – amjayes | Thanks to Al for the tip]