M-Sport Ford World Rally Teams

[Fast Eddie WRC]

The new Ford cars are going to be "rally-bred"...

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/n...rs-europe-2029

But the new 'Fiesta' is an EV so I cant see it being the base for a WRC rally car.

[deephouse]

So was the Lancia Ypsilon at first with only EV, then they added 1.2 ice engine with hybrid (probably because they realized that sales will not be so good). Remember that Ford is quite stupid right now, they killed their most profitable cars, go with their heads into the wall with "only EV"... And when sales significantly dropped they reconsidered bringing Fiesta back. Of course they will probably realize that they should put also ice engine in it.

That Fiesta is ugly as sh!t. Sorry, but it is. At least they could try to make it prettier. Of course rally render looks fantastic, but original.. awww, I'm throwing up.

[Ferranis]

Why do such cars not sell, truly a mistery

[Fast Eddie WRC]

It's sad and pretty pathetic that Ford (Europe) are planning just one new small hatchback and that an EV based on a Renault 5 platform.

And adding insult by calling all 5 planned new cars 'rally-bred' and to be 'sporty' just because they'll only tune the suspension.

Their previous great designers and engineers must be disgusted.

[macebig]

They will bring back the Focus too, eventually. It was a braindead decision to kill the whole line up and only sell the Puma in the mass market. PSA and Renault never abandoned the market and are now reapping the benefits.

[deephouse]

Hyundai do follow the same pattern. Killing their cars just to bring "new e-suvs".

It's also interesting how some brands which did have a really great herritage in rallying are now completely nowhere, I mean, Mitsubishi for example, maybe we could also mention Subaru, Lancia (they are at least trying to bring back their brand on the feet). It looks like those brands can't survive without rallying (it went down after they left WRC).

[Franky]

Hyundai do follow the same pattern. Killing their cars just to bring "new e-suvs".

It's also interesting how some brands which did have a really great herritage in rallying are now completely nowhere, I mean, Mitsubishi for example, maybe we could also mention Subaru, Lancia (they are at least trying to bring back their brand on the feet). It looks like those brands can't survive without rallying (it went down after they left WRC).

I think with Subaru it depends a lot on the markets. Like the amount of Subarus you see on the roads in Estonia is absurd compared to most countries in Europe.

[deephouse]

Really? Funny thing I always kinda saw Tanak in Subaru (if they would ever come back by the time he was/would be active)

[flat_right]

Really? Funny thing I always kinda saw Tanak in Subaru (if they would ever come back by the time he was/would be active)

I think this high number of Subarus is not related to WRC. It's just that the a high percentage of rural or unpaved roads, and a local car culture that highly values practical, permanent all-wheel-drive.