Škoda Auto starts testing Fabia Super 2000

Škoda Auto starts testing Fabia Super 2000
2/11/2008

Škoda Auto has started testing the first prototype of the Škoda Fabia Super 2000 today. Designed to be used in the Super 2000 category, the vehicle is based on the second-generation Fabia.

In compliance with the FIA regulations, the vehicle is equipped with a two-litre atmospheric four-cylinder petrol engine, a six-speed sequential transmission and a four-wheel drive system with three mechanical differentials.

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Commenting on the occasion, Dr. Eckhard Scholz, Škoda Auto Board Member responsible for technological development, said: "We are glad to have started testing the Fabia Super 2000. This year we are planning to optimise and certify the vehicle so that we can use it on both national and international levels. When exactly will the vehicle be released for competition use will depend on the achieved progress, relevant test results and the final certification. Then we are also planning to offer the vehicle to private teams. Based on a customer service arrangement, further development work on the vehicle will be done in close cooperation with our importers worldwide".

Martin Lauer, Head of Corporate Communications, adds: "The history of over hundred years of involvement in motorsport is unique, and we are proud to be able to continue the success story with the Fabia Super 2000. We believe that the vehicle will become a successful part of this tradition, because car racing is popular all over the world and offers great opportunities to promote our products".

Skoda moves to Super 2000

In a pair of announcements issued today (Wednesday), Skoda has announced that the Red Bull Skoda team will not take part in the 2007 FIA World Rally Championship and that the company will instead spend the year developing a Super 2000 variant of the new Fabia, to be launched next year.

The Skoda Board of Directors has approved a plan to develop the Super 2000 Fabia throughout 2007 with a view to it being introduced at a later date. It sees Super 2000 as an attractive category of the sport and aims to produce a car which will be attractive to privateers or up and coming talents, both nationally and internationally.

Skoda becomes the fifth manufacturer to commit to Super 2000, which from 2007 will run alongside Group N in the production car World Rally Championship. Cars from Fiat and Toyota have already been homologated and appeared on the WRC, notably Alister McRae's debut of the Toyota Corolla S20000R on the recent Wales Rally GB, setting several fastest Group N stage times.

Examples from Volkswagen and Peugeot are expected to be homologated in 1 January 2007 while Renault also developed one car but this project has been shelved as the company concentrates on Formula One. There is also a Lada S2000 running in its native land but there is no indication of whether this will reach international competition.

Ford has also recently confirmed it is looking into developing a S2000 car for the privateer market, although it stressed it was no more than a feasibility study at this stage.

The withdrawal of the Red Bull Skoda team from the WRC means that Czech driver Jan Kopecky will fly the Skoda flag in the 2007 WRC, with continued support from the manufacturer. However, it also means that at the moment, Harri Rovanpera and Andreas Aigner are without a drive. Red Bull has confirmed that it is seeking a position for Aigner but no mention is made in the team statements about Rovanpera.

-WRC.com

Super 2000s Race at Condroz

In an unusual rally-long battle at the Condroz Rally in Belgium this weekend, Bryan Bouffier and Freddy Loix enjoyed a remarkable fight - for the honour of fastest zero car.

Armed with the latest Super 2000 cars - respectively the prototype Peugeot 207 RCup and the VW Polo S2000 on its first appearance outside South Africa, these cars provided more than just enjoyment for the drivers and spectators. This was an opportunity for the FIA's newly-formed Permanent Bureau (announced at the World Motor Sport Council meeting on 18 October) to further study the relative performances of the Super 2000 and Group N specifications of car. Both Super 2000 and Group N will be eligible for the 2007 FIA Production car World Rally Championship.

Of the two Super 2000 cars, the Polo driven by veteran Belgian driver Freddy Loix was usually quicker than the 207 driven by the Frenchman, who had not competed on these stages before. Originally it was hoped that Loix would make the competition debut for the Polo in Europe but last-minute homologation delays prevented this from happening. The Peugeot had always been scheduled to appear in actual competition after 1st January 2007.

On virtually every stage of the rally, the quickest Group N was the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX of former J-WRC driver Larry Cols. This gave a steady yardstick to compare the relative performance of the heavier turbocharged Group N cars and the lighter, normally aspirated Super 2000s.

As it transpired, stage times recorded by the organisers for the zero cars indicated a remarkable similarity between the cars of Loix and Cols, both experienced over the stages. A spokesman for Rene Georges, the company running Loix' Polo, admitted the team had an advantage over Cols, in that they were permitted longer service intervals. He also said that as it had only received the car three weeks prior to the event and had one day useful testing, he felt that there was still potential to come but that the company was pleasantly surprised that the car was so competitive.

Unusual in another respect, the Condroz organisers allowed World Rally Cars to run on an FIA regional championship event, and these cars took the top three places, headed by Francois Duval in a Skoda Fabia WRC.

-WRC.com

Harri Rovanpera crashes his Fabia during test

Red Bull Skoda's Harri Rovanpera suffered an accident during pre-event testing Monday on his Fabia WRC test car. Rovanpera was nearly midway through a five-hour test session when he drove wide into a corner, touched a wall, and his wheel hit a stone, which caused him to roll his car.

"I came too close to the outside, there was plenty of loose gravel but unfortunately also a rock which destroyed the rim," Rovanpera said after the incident. "Then the car rolled rather violently, thank goodness I suffered no injuries. Risto complained about a slight headache. Except for this incident our test was very informative, too."

Rovanpera is still scheduled to compete at this weekend's Rally d'Italia Sardegna.

First gravel rally for Red Bull Skoda

For Harri Rovanpera, the Rally d'Italia Sardegna is to be his 108th FIA World Rally Championship event, but the event will be the first gravel rally for he and team-mate Andreas Aigner in a Skoda Fabia. The event will also be Aigner's first ever gravel event in a World Rally Car.

"I had quite a good feeling in the last tarmac rallies, now I need to adjust and learn to drive properly on gravel," said Aigner. "The test days will help me with that for sure. Apart from that I'm totally motivated, and I hope to at least keep the immediate competition at bay. In addition Harri will be able to give me some good advice."

The Red Bull Skoda Team is contesting only the European events in 2006, and thus far, both gravel rallies of the season have been in North and South America - Corona Rally Mexico and Rally Argentina. Rovanpera has only contested one event (Rallye de France - Tour de Corse) with the Red Bull-backed Skoda Fabia and is looking to contest a top six finish in Sardinia.

"We will certainly let Harri go for it, so he should be able to achieve a top six position," said Red Bull Team boss Armin Schwarz. "We'll have to wait and see how Andreas does on gravel, what he trusts himself to do. If he manages to complete this task in a positive fashion, we have taken a further step."

"I love this rally, it is extremely difficult and very demanding," said Rovanpera. "If we're able to test successfully, we should be able to achieve a good result in the end. In my 108th WRC start, my routine and experience will surely be of help here."

Harri Rovanpera in a Skoda Fabia WRC in Corsica

Harri Rovanperä and Risto Pietiläinen has joined WRC once again in Tour de Corse (Rd 6 of WRC), this time running a Škoda Fabia WRC (car #11) of the Redbull-Škoda team. The car was prepared by BRR. Harri filled in for Gilles Panizzi, who abruptly decided not to do Corsica after personal issues with his brother and co-driver Hervé Panizzi, has lead to the split of duo. We won't see Redbull-Škoda in Argentina come the end of April because they opted out to do the long haul to South America. Harri finished 12th behind Petter Solberg of Subaru WRT.