Skoda Kamiq rally car concept previewed

Skoda has confirmed that its eighth Student Car will be a rally version of the Skoda Kamiq that could go head-to-head with the hybrid-powered Ford Puma WRC.

Announcing that work had already begun on the Skoda Kamiq rally car, the Czech car-maker says as many as 25 apprentices will be tasked with designing, engineering and building the racer, with Skoda's official motorsport division also said to be lending a hand.

As you can see from the official sketch previewing the concept car's styling, the Kamiq rally-raider will feature significantly wider front and rear quarter guards and a huge rear wing, plus a chunky front bumper with bigger air intake and a jacked-up ride height.

Under the bonnet, it's thought the competition Kamiq could pack the same powertrain currently used in the Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo.

If that's the case, the Kamiq rally car will be powered by a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that will produce 214kW of power and 425Nm of torque.

It would be combined with a five-speed sequential manual race transmission and all-wheel drive with mechanical differentials at both ends, and it's expected engineers will develop the Kamiq to weigh no more than the FIA-mandated 1230kg.

Full rally-ready suspension, wheels and tyres will also be added to the family-friendly small SUV.

Inside, expect a stripped out cabin incorporating a full FIA-approved roll-cage and race seats with mandatory six-point harnesses, plus a digital instrument cluster lifted from the Fabia rally car.

Created by attendees at Skoda's Mlada Boleslav vocational school in the Czech Republic, the concept will be used to celebrate the 120th anniversary of Skoda Motorsport and is said to pay tribute to the brand's success in rallying.

Since 2014 it's been tradition for Skoda apprentices to develop and build a concept car to showcase their talents. The first was the CITIJET based on the Citigo micro-car and subsequent creations have included a ute based on the Fabia (2015), a small coupe spun off the Rapid and a bizarre convertible version of the Kodiaq (2018).