Last week, Volkswagen began testing next year's WRC race car. There might not be a Polo R road car anymore, but this speed machine is something else.
It's been a while since we've seen a prototype making flying seem natural. Looking at the underbody of the car kind of reminds us of those squirrels - they weren't meant to fly but they evolved to do it anyway.
The R WRC has been dominating racing in the past couple of years. And while next year will see Citroen joining the fight, we're not expecting any big upsets.
That's because the mighty Polo has been re-engineered for 2017, which is why it's hiding all that camouflage. The car will have more power, more power, more aero elements and lighter components. If you've ever wondered what a supermini mixed with a supercar looks like, this is it.
If you ever get tired of seeing flying cars, there's something very wrong with you. Being airborne is not the best way to drive, but the Finns have mastered it like a form of motorsport martial arts.
‘‘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, while 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.‘‘
New regulations taking effect next year mean that the Polo R WRC will have 60 more horsepower and 55 fewer pounds (-25kg) to carry around. If it looks a little wider too, that's because it is, by 2 inches (50mm). The increase in performance will be achieve through widening the air restrictor from 33 to 36 mm
The rules also allow for more downforce to be applied. So slowly but surely, it feels like we are headed back to the glory days of WRC legends.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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