Ford accelerates Fiesta RS WRC development

[rv65]

Video of Hirvonen working the Fiesta WRC in a top secret location in Spain. I saw a big flame that came out of the back, but I'm not sure how good the Fiesta WRC really is. It looks quick, but Citroen may very well have the advantage, or they could have screwed up. Who knows for sure.

[ChrisB]

The next Focus RS will have a 2.0T Ecoboost motor, with an electric motor powering the rear wheels. It will be faux AWD, since the electric motors take place of the AWD system. It wouldn't be proper AWD, but I could see the WRC moving on to this type of setup.

Is that definite? I have heard it as it was a thought. That's why I am saving for a Focus Mk2 RS. I love the Focus Mk3 shell, really beautiful car, but all that electric motor stuff is blindfolded rubbish publicised by eco fanatics and I would rather buy no RS than an RS with any kind of hybrid/electric layout.

Why don't even car testers tell the truth (at least for Germany I can launch that complaint, Top Gear has told the truth with their electric car). Electric cars are around since 20 years and longer, and there has been no development, so why shall now come the development? It is all eco fanatic media talk, as you can easily se on the Toyota Prius, that sold extremely badly for 10 years, and now all the sudden Germans buy Priuses based on a 10 year old design as if there was no tomorrow. In a recent ADAC test (comparable to RAC in GB, so at least they should be unbiased) the ADAC was so surprised that in fuel consumption and emissions a Volvo diesel beat the Honda Hybrid, even though the Honda was the smaller car. Maybe I should write in to them, because I was not surprised since in January they tested the Mercedes S420 Hybrid, and that was much slower while it needed much more fuel than my car that fulfills all the anti eco stereotypes! My 405 T16 meaning a 17 years old 230BHP turbo 4x4 performance car never developped to be economic, beats a modern Hybrid hands down! Electric does not work at all and Hybrid is expensive, very heavy, no fun to drive, and the economic result is not anywhere near what we are told it is. So whoever thinks this is our future is heavily mislead. Sadly Peugeot is on the same trip as Ford here with that hybrid alibi 4WD.

Honda has the CR-Z which is supposed to be a fun hybrid, but it goes from 0-60 in only 9.7 seconds. If Honda could make a more powerful version, then that would be great.

Well, all these electric car discussions are fascinating somehow, as if all this hasn't been tried already since WW1, as if the Toyota Prius wasn't on the market already since 15 years.

A hybrid will never be fun, and never be as efficient as a normal car. They are tooheavy and too expensive, and adding power only makes them more heavy and more expensive.

What Ford is trying in the Mk3 Focus RS is interesting, because that layout gives them 4x4 without the propshaft and centre diff, so they add weight, but they save some elsewhere. Still, this system is even more complicated than a 4x4, and with 250BHP on the front wheels and electric 50BHP on the rear, it is a power distribution of 80/20, so basically it drives like a 250BHP FWD car, and is a lot heavier than the already more efficient Mk2 RS!

[rv65]

Except the Honda system, which is small and light weight . Honda's system is just a small low power electric motor, attached to the transmission.

[rv65]

http://www.m-sport.co.uk/index.php/news ... -rally-car

I guess there is truth in the sideways driving as Hirvonen said that the new cars have to be driven aggressively, and no more sideways driving.

[rv65]

Maybe not driving in a straight line.

Maxrally sez that Ford will use the final 1.6T with DI next week. They did use the 1.6T, in last weeks test, but it didn't have the DI system in place.

[rv65]

Rumor has it that the Fiesta WRC did 800km of testing with Mikko and Jari. It was also spotted on a Kart track, but instead of using Wilslow, they picked an even slower driver. The slower driver is an engineer who shall remain nameless. On that test, M-Sport just wanted some extra miles on the engine.

[ChrisB]

It was also spotted on a Kart track, but instead of using Wilslow, they picked an even slower driver. The slower driver is an engineer who shall remain nameless.

An engineer slower than Wilslow? If he hadn't died at the age of 79, I would have tipped on Peter Ashcroft, who would now be 82.

[rv65]

Ford did test the Fiesta WRC for a few days in Tavira, and Ford did a great job of keeping the test a secret, as there aren't many photos or videos of it.

[rv65]

I can guarantee that this test wasn't done by that anonymous engineer or Wilslow. This test was done by Latvala and Hirvonen and the total distance they covered was 1,250 km. Quite a bit, but I think they are making some progress. It looks rather fast for a new WRCar.

http://www.wrc.com/news/ford-enjoys-...est/?fid=14009

What Loriaux said about the new Fiesta WRC. It needs some work to be done, but they hope to have all 10 cars available by Sweden. Homologation is coming up and they have to get ready rather quickly and there are a few bugs that need to be addressed.

[rv65]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89056

I guess these things do happen.

[ChrisB]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89056

I guess these things do happen.

I thought with that colour scheme one wouldn't notice accident damage anyway?

[rv65]

http://motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=398909&FS=WRC

Interview with Christian Louriaux on the Fiesta WRC. He does say some good things about the new regulations. Not a bad interview, but even Malcolm Wilson himself got to drive the Fiesta WRC.

http://is.gd/KPWjzV - Interior pics of the Fiesta WRC

http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2011-for ... -rally-car - A few exterior shots of the Fiesta WRC as well as a few interior shots.

It looks quick, but who knows for sure.

[rv65]

Side by side pic of the Fiesta and Focus WRC.

Specs are

1.6T Ecoboost motor with DI
Restrictor: 33mm with boost set at 2.5bar
Power: 300 HP at @ 6500 RPM
Torque: 450 NM (331 LBS-FT) at 4500 RPM
6 speed AWD sequential gearbox with front and rear mechanical diffs
Tires: 650 MM ???
Wheels: Gravel/Snow - 7x15; Tarmac - 8x18
Fuel tank: 80 L (21.13 US gal)
Length: 3963mm; Width: 1820mm

Just some specs from the Fiesta WRC, though these probably aren't the actual specs, due to team secrecy.

[rv65]

PX60 AUV is the car that Ken Block is driving and was shown in a video with scantilly clad women.

[rv65]

PX60 AVN has been re registered to RU55 ALM. This is the car Novikov will drive in Sardinia.

[rv65]

http://fiestarrc.com/

Here it is, the Fiesta RRC. A slightly detuned version of the Fiesta WRC. It can be converted into a Fiesta WRC in only 6 hours, per regulation. It can be yours for the unbelievably low price of only 400,000 EUR though MW said 450,000. This would include both WRC and IRC kit. Gerard Quinn said the car makes around 260 PS, and is 1-2 sec/km quicker than the S2000, due to the torque. Might see some in IRC.




http://www.fiestarrc.com/index.php/tech ... ifications

Tech specs say 360 nm at 3650 RPM. Still too expensive. I guess the FIA has their work cut out for the N4 replacement spec. If you've checked out the R4 replaces N4 topic, then I've mentioned about a new formula the FiA is working on that would essentially be 300 HP 4WD R3 cars.

[rv65]

In other news, Ford has decided to build this monstrosity.



This is right when Todt and Mouton want to get rid of the Cloverleaf format. It takes a team of 24 people 4 days to assemble/disassemble this thing. It has 2 stories, and lots of feature. I could explain it to you, but I'd rather have the PR people do it.

"The Ford team will unveil a new two-floor team headquarters. The ground floor contains a large open area for guests, a kitchen and toilets. The first floor has four meeting rooms, a physiotherapists' room, two offices for engineering staff and a centre area for team personnel. The HQ has 14 TV screens across all areas, showing stage times, maps and promotional information. It will take a team of 24 staff four days to erect the facility and two days to take it down again."

It's quite lavish, but I'm sure the money they spent on this thing, could have been spent on the Fiesta WRC/RRC and it might have made them a little more competitive with Citroen. Then again, they could have spent it on a better driver.

[mof]

Holy crap, that's massive!!! Agree, could have done much more worthwhile things to make the results better...

[rv65]

Holy crap, that's massive!!! Agree, could have done much more worthwhile things to make the results better...

This would probably fit in quite nicely at a race track.

[ChrisB]

I actually had this discussion with friends via email during Finland, having spotted photos of this monstrosity there. There is the FIA trying to find way to make the WRC cheaper and then you see how far off the Citroen pace the Fiesta is even in Finland with two Finnish drivers, and they had nothing better to do with their time and money during the summer break than come up with this meaningless thing?