Having proved itself in one of the world's most gruelling rallies, winning the Dakar Rally for the past three years, Volkswagen will take the WRC plunge from 2013, fielding the Polo R WRC car. The German marque will be the fourth manufacturer in the WRC, after Citroen, Ford, and MINI.
New technical rules for the WRC stipulating smaller engines (up to 1600cc) direct injection and turbocharging appear to be one of the catalysts for Volkswagen deciding to pour dollars into a WRC program.
"The new Technical Regulations of the World Rally Championship are an ideal fit for Volkswagen's philosophy with respect to the development of production vehicles," Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Management Board of the Volkswagen Brand, Development Division said at a press conference in Sardinia overnight.
"Downsizing, high efficiency and reliability are top priorities for our customers. The timing of the WRC debut is optimal for Volkswagen. The big task of engineering a vehicle that is competitive and capable of winning at a large number of challenges holds great appeal for us," added Hackenberg.
The Volkswagen Polo R WRC will be powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged and direct injected four-cylinder engine outputting around 220kw (300hp).
The aggressively designed Polo R WRC car was unveiled at the Sardinian round of the WRC.
As Volkswagen Motorsport Director Kris Nissen explained, the team that helped VW win three consecutive Dakar Rallies will be set new challenges: "We can draw on an experienced and proven squad which has done an outstanding job in top-calibre sport in the past few years. Even though the WRC is new territory for us and involves learning in many areas the team already meets some important prerequisites now as it brings an unwavering professional attitude and resolve to deliver absolute perfection to this commitment."
What Volkswagen's involvement in the WRC means for its Dakar Rally involvement is not yet known, but it's expected to be business as usual for the all-conquering Dakar team. The extra funds being poured into Volkswagen's WRC tilt could also have a positive impact on its Dakar approach, and it will certainly be interesting to see how the two disciplines co-exist.
The German carmaker's rumoured F1 involvement has all but been put to rest with the announcement of its arrival in the World Rally Championship in 2013.
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