Photo: Volkswagen
News from Autostadt, Wolfsburg: Volkswagen Motorsport just unveiled an updated version of its Polo R WRC, ready to compete in the 2015 season and repeat past success.
The company makes bold claims about its car, saying it's more aggressively styled, but very few things have changed in the bodywork. The predominant difference compared to 2014's car is the livery. The predominant white has given way to dark blue. White and light-blue stripes see the dark-blue front merge into the white rear, which features a gigantic new twin wing.
Mechanically, VW's boffins have gone over everything with a fine comb, checking for split ends. Three quarters of last year’s components were checked and many of them optimized. In time for the Monte Carlo rally (January 22nd), engineers have been hard at work implementing a hydraulically activated gearbox, which is operated via a shift paddle on the steering column. This represents the biggest innovation of the 318 hp racing Polo.
The 3-car Volkswagen Motorsport team will still see Sébastien Ogier in Polo R WRC #1, joined by Jari-Matti Latvala in car #2 and Andreas Mikkelsen in the #9.
“The new Polo R WRC has undergone intense further development, both on the inside and the outside. Not only does it look even more dynamic and sporty than it did before, but our engineers have also been working meticulously on technical innovations under the bonnet and have improved many detailed aspects of the package that has been so successful for the past two years. The focus of this further development was on efficiency, reliability and performance. We can hardly wait to see the new Polo R WRC in Monte Carlo and at the other twelve rallies on four continents," said Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neußer, Volkswagen Board Member for Technical Development, who launched the car in Wolfsburg.
Sebastien Ogier didn't remain quiet at the launch, in fact the adamant in declaring to his World Rally Championship rivals that the 2015 Polo R WRC will be stronger than ever.
Sebastien Ogier: "I am very optimistic that the new car will get off to just as good a start as its predecessor," while Andreas Mikkelsen noted just how quick the old car was. Our world championship winning car has more than proven itself," Andreas said, "and is certainly anything but slow."
Mechanically, VW's boffins have gone over everything with a fine comb, checking for split ends. Three quarters of last year’s components were checked and many of them optimized. In time for the Monte Carlo rally (January 22nd), engineers have been hard at work implementing a hydraulically activated gearbox, which is operated via a shift paddle on the steering column. This represents the biggest innovation of the 318 hp racing Polo.
The 3-car Volkswagen Motorsport team will still see Sébastien Ogier in Polo R WRC #1, joined by Jari-Matti Latvala in car #2 and Andreas Mikkelsen in the #9.
“The new Polo R WRC has undergone intense further development, both on the inside and the outside. Not only does it look even more dynamic and sporty than it did before, but our engineers have also been working meticulously on technical innovations under the bonnet and have improved many detailed aspects of the package that has been so successful for the past two years. The focus of this further development was on efficiency, reliability and performance. We can hardly wait to see the new Polo R WRC in Monte Carlo and at the other twelve rallies on four continents," said Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neußer, Volkswagen Board Member for Technical Development, who launched the car in Wolfsburg.
Sebastien Ogier didn't remain quiet at the launch, in fact the adamant in declaring to his World Rally Championship rivals that the 2015 Polo R WRC will be stronger than ever.
Sebastien Ogier: "I am very optimistic that the new car will get off to just as good a start as its predecessor," while Andreas Mikkelsen noted just how quick the old car was. Our world championship winning car has more than proven itself," Andreas said, "and is certainly anything but slow."
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