Ford reveals wild Fiesta WRC

Ford has revealed the car it hopes will dominate the 2017 season of the World Rally Championship.

Based on the recently revealed 2017 Ford Fiesta, the new rally car benefits from the big changes to the sport's technical regulations.

These include raising the power produced from the turbocharged 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine to 283kW -- up from the 224kW produced last year.

Boosting performance further, the Fiesta WRC is also 25kg lighter, now weighing in at just 1175kg.

To help capitalise on the lower weight and more power, the new regs also allow the Ford rally car to have an aggressive new aero kit with a huge rear wing.

More aerodynamic aids, meanwhile, boost downforce even further, ensuring higher cornering speeds.

A wider body and front and rear wheel tracks will also boost grip while a new electronic centre differential means all that power will be deployed far more efficiently than in last year's rally car.

Claimed to be more than 95 per cent different to last year's car, the 2017 Fiesta WRC car will be run by Malcom Wilson's M-Sport operation and ha already been subjected to more than 6500km testing ahead of the Monte Carlo Rally that starts on January 16.

Ford has yet to confirm its driver line-up for the 2017 season but, following VW's decision to quite WRC, is seems likely out-of-contract Sebastien Ogier could be driving for the Blue Oval next year.

Ogier currently is thought to also be considering a drive in the works Citroen C3 WRC or a privately-run Volkswagen Polo R WRC that was developed ahead of next year's season before VW pulled the plug on its involvement in the sport.

The current world rally champion has also refused to rule out joining Toyota to race its Yaris WRC car next year.

The French rally driver is expected to make a decision in the next few days.