MINI JOINS WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP (WRC) FORAY IN 2011
2010-07-28 18:23:47 Author: admin Source:
MINI is making a comeback on the international rally circuit. From 2011, the brand will compete at selected rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) and will go on to contest the entire season from 2012 onwards. The German marque will join the ranks of Citroen and Ford as factory contenders in two years time.
The car charged with this task is the MINI Countryman WRC (above), which is being developed by Prodrive, in close cooperation with MINI, and is based on the production model. The powerful heart of the racing car is a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder turbo-charged engine from BMW Motorsport. The car complies with the new Super2000 regulations put in place by the FIA, which stipulate the use of turbo engines with 1,600 cc displacement and four-wheel drive combined with an increased emphasis on road relevant technologies. The result is a significant 25 per cent reduction in overall costs.
MINI's previous stint in rally was in the 1960s when the Cooper S caused a sensation with victories in 1964, 1965 and 1967 at the legendary Monte Carlo Rally. Then, on several occasions at the European Rally Championship. MINI's parent company BMW, too, had a WRC adventure back in 1973 with Achim Warmbold and Jean Todt tasting victory in their BMW 2002 at the Alpenfahrt Rally in Austria. Other accolades include; Pat Moss clinching the first victory with the MINI 850 at the 1959 Mini Miglia National Rally, and the last BMW WRC victory was achieved in 1987 in Corsica by Bernard Béguin driving a BMW M3 which was built and run by Prodrive.
Prodrive, previously a partner of the Subaru World Rally team, is charged to develop the Countryman WRC. Prodrive's many successes currently include six overall victories in the WRC, five titles in the British Touring Car Championship and three class victories at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
From 2011, over 40 years down the line, the MINI Countryman WRC will be charged with adding further chapters to BMW's rallying success story. The brand’s first model to feature four doors and a wide-opening tailgate, it offers more space – which can be used in a wide variety of ways – to go with its raised seating position and optimized ride comfort. Plus, the “go-kart” feeling for which MINI is a byword has been preserved and takes on a new dimension with the optional MINI ALL4 all-wheel-drive system.
Edited/Images: BMW
