Volkswagen Motorsport's new Polo R Supercar has been unveiled in Autostadt Wolfsburg, for this year’s FIA World Rallycross Championship
With reigning Rallycross world champion Johan Kristoffersson and team owner and Rallycross superstar Petter Solberg watching on, the new Polo R Supercar was unveiled by Volkswagen Motorsport Director Sven Smeets, PSRX team principal Pernilla Solberg and Jost Capito, managing director of Volkswagen R. Interestingly, this year’s contender also showcases a new strategic partnership: Volkswagen R, home of Volkswagen's most powerful and sporty production models, is partner of the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team in 2018 thus intensifying its cooperation with Volkswagen Motorsport.
The 570 hp four-wheel drive powerhouse for the FIA World Rallycross Championship (WRX) has a new look, as well as optimised aerodynamics. The new exterior makes this year's Polo R Supercar easy to distinguish from its predecessor. "The most important changes compared to last year's model have been made at the front of the car," explained Fabrice van Ertvelde, technical project manager for Volkswagen in the WRX. The engine cooling, which is a particularly sensitive area in Rallycross races, has been redesigned, with emphasis on aerodynamics. This will make the 2018 Polo R Supercar far more efficient. A second important aspect was design of a new rear wing, which creates more downforce and allows a wide range of new set-up options.”
The FIA World Rallycross Championship is held over twelve rounds on three continents. The season gets underway in Barcelona on 14 and 15 April and ends with the grand finale in Cape Town on 24 and 25 November. The WRX circus will travel to the re-designed circuit in Silverstone for the first time, while the race in Austin marks the series' first outing in the USA.
15 cars and drivers are currently registered for the top class, the RX Supercar Series. They include big names from the world of motorsport like Volkswagen drivers Petter Solberg and world champion Johan Kristoffersson, as well as rally star Sébastien Loeb and DTM champion Mattias Ekström.