Nother CarGuy

Volkswagen has unveiled the all-new Polo GTI R5 following a preview last month. Introduced earlier today in Spain, the Polo GTI R5 is a turn-key rally car that was designed to compete in the R5 class alongside rivals such as the Citroën DS3 R5, Ford Fiesta R5, and Skoda Fabia R5. As part of the transformation from street car to rally car, the Polo has been outfitted with an aggressive body kit includes a sportier front bumper, extended fender flares, and a large rear spoiler. The model has also been equipped with lightweight wheels, a roll cage, and an assortment of safety equipment. Motivation is provided by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine which produces 272 PS (200 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. It is connected to a five-speed sequential racing transmission that sends power to permanent four-wheel drive system. This enables the 1,320 kg (2,910 lbs) rally car to rocket from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in just 4.1 seconds. The Polo GTI R5 will be homo...

Volkswagen disappointed rally fans when it withdrew from the World Rally Championship at the end of last season. Now, less than a year later, the German automaker has announced its return to the rally scene, just in a very different capacity. Instead of fielding its own Polo R WRC in the top-tier rally series, VW is preparing to offer another version of the Polo to customer teams. Previewed for the first time in this teaser sketch, the new Polo GTI R5 is being built by the same people behind the previous version – including VW Motorsport technical director François-Xavier “FX” Demaison and Sebastien Ogier's race engineer Gerard-Jan de Jongh. Full specifications haven't been announced, but the R5 is being based on the new Polo GTI with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine employing direct injection to channel 270 horsepower to all four wheels through a five-speed sequential gearbox. “With the Polo GTI R5 we are hoping to transfer our expertise from four WRC titles t...

Toyota announced their return in the hot hatch segment with a high-performance version of the Yaris that will take inspiration by the WRC version.  The company released a teaser sketch of the  upcoming hot Yaris  which will use “experience gained from its full-blooded return to the World Rally Championship”, according to the official press release.  We don’t really have any other official information but the above statement should mean that the high-performance version of the Yaris will come with a turbocharged petrol engine to make the necessary connection  with the new rally car .  The teaser sketch shows us the profile of the new Japanese hot hatch, revealing an aggressive body kit on the familiar three-door bodystyle. The range-topping Yaris will likely adopt the Gazoo nameplate, with Toyota known to want to launch a new sub-brand for their future high-performance models  with the name of their motorsport arm Gazoo Racing on them .

The  Paris Auto Show  was chosen by Hyundai for the debut of a prototype of its  i20 WRC  2017 World Rally Championship contender. As we already knew, Hyundai's new  WRC entrant  will be based around the three-door i20 and, compared to the current car, promises to be much faster thanks to the adoption of new technical regulations for the impending season by the FIA. Most significantly,  next year's championship  will see manufacturers adopt 36 mm restrictor plates on the turbochargers, rather than the 33 mm ones currently used. This simple modification will see power from the 1.6-liter engines rise from the current 300-315 hp mark up to 380 hp.  Also for next year, teams have more freedom in the aero parts design, in an effort to increase downforce. Hyundai has done so by outfitting its 2017 challenger with brand new bodywork that includes a different front end, new side skirts, flared front and rear wheel arches, a much larger rear wing a...

Citroën is gearing up for its big return to the World Rally Championship, and will preview its new entry at the Paris Motor Show with the concept you see here. Called, simply enough, the  C3 WRC  Concept, it was designed jointly by the company's design and motorsport departments to preview the competition-spec model to follow. It's based closely on the new  production C3 hatchback , but with some telltale rally flourishes to convey its purpose. It's wider than the road-going version, with large wings protruding out both ends, and with a sportier racing livery. The concept was designed with the FIA's latest regulations in mind, which call for output up to 380 horsepower, 55 fewer pounds to sling around corners, increased downforce, and an electronic differential. So most of what you see here you can expect to see on the final version that will make its rally debut in Monte Carlo come January. When it does, the French team will be out to add to its unrivaled list of re...