 | |||||||||
| Category | World Rally Car | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Volkswagen Motorsport | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Heinz-Jakob Neußer (Technical Director)[1] | ||||||||
| Successor | Volkswagen Polo WRC (cancelled) Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications[2] | |||||||||
| Chassis | Reinforced body with welded, multi-point roll cage built to FIA specifications | ||||||||
| Suspension | MacPherson-type struts with ZF Friedrichshafen dampers | ||||||||
| Length | 3,976 mm (156.5 in) | ||||||||
| Width | 1,820 mm (72 in) | ||||||||
| Height | 1,356 mm (53.4 in) | ||||||||
| Axle track | 1,610 mm (63 in) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,480 mm (98 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | 1.6 L (98 cu in) bespoke Volkswagen straight-four engine, turbocharged with anti-lag system and 33 mm (1.3 in) air restrictor, transversally mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Bespoke Volkswagen 6-speed sequential manual transmission, transversally mounted with front and rear multi-plate limited-slip differential | ||||||||
| Weight | 1,200 kg (2,646 lb) before drivers or fuel | ||||||||
| Fuel | Customised controlled blend specified by FIA for all cars competing under World Rally Car regulations | ||||||||
| Lubricants | Castrol EDGE | ||||||||
| Tyres | Michelin competition tyres: 46 cm (18 in) for tarmac events, 38 cm (15 in) for gravel rallies | ||||||||
| Competition history (WRC) | |||||||||
| Notable entrants |  Volkswagen Motorsport Volkswagen Motorsport II | ||||||||
| Notable drivers |  Jari-Matti Latvala Andreas Mikkelsen Sébastien Ogier | ||||||||
| Debut |  2013 Monte Carlo Rally | ||||||||
| First win |  2013 Rally Sweden | ||||||||
| Last win |  2016 Rally Australia | ||||||||
| Last event | 2016 Rally Australia | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 FIA World Rally Championship for Drivers | ||||||||
The Volkswagen Polo R WRC is a World Rally Car built and operated by Volkswagen Motorsport and based on the Volkswagen Polo for use in the World Rally Championship. The car, which made its début at the start of the 2013 season, is built to the second generation of World Rally Car regulations that were introduced in 2011, which are based upon the existing Super 2000 regulations, but powered by a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine rather than the naturally aspirated 2-litre engine found in Super 2000 cars.
The Polo R WRC marks Volkswagen's second entry into the World Rally Championship as a manufacturer. Volkswagen Motorsport had previously entered the Volkswagen Golf GTI and GTI 16V in rallies between 1983 and 1988,[3] while the company also made the Volkswagen Golf Mk3 and Mk4 available as a kit car to privateer entries during the Group A era from 1993 to 1997.[4]
The car was extremely successful from its début, winning 43 of the 53 rallies that it entered, and scoring 37 more podiums. Sébastien Ogier won 31 rallies and four consecutive FIA World Rally Championships for Drivers between 2013 and 2016,[5][6][7] whilst Volkswagen Motorsport secured the FIA World Rally Championship for Manufacturers in all four years.[8][9] The Polo R WRC was retired from competition at the end of the 2016 season when Volkswagen withdrew from the category.[10] A Polo built to Group R5 specifications was later commissioned for use in the World Rally Championship-2.[11]
- ^ "Volkswagen extends WRC programme to 2019". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. 10 June 2014. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
- ^ "Technical specifications". volkswagen-motorsport.com. Volkswagen Motorsport. Archived from the original on 12 December 2012. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
- ^ Williams, David; Davenport, John; McMaster, Colin (2000) [2000]. "Group A: 1987–1997". In Klein, Reinhardt (ed.). Rally Cars. Köln: Könemann. p. 420. ISBN 3-8290-4625-1.
- ^ Williams, David; Davenport, John; McMaster, Colin (2000) [2000]. "Kit Cars". In Klein, Reinhardt (ed.). Rally Cars. Köln: Könemann. p. 529. ISBN 3-8290-4625-1.
- ^ "Sordo's stage win seals Ogier's title". WRC.com. Retrieved 13 October 2013.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
ogier 2nd crownwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Sebastien Ogier claims third straight WRC crown". Speedcafe.com. 13 September 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
- ^ "Capito's Delight after Title Double". WRC.com. WRC Promoter GmbH. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 1 November 2013.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
2014 WCMwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
VW outwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Beer, Matt (8 October 2018). "VW reveals WRC2 Polo livery for one-off Rally Spain works return". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 9 October 2018.