Derived from the best-selling Fiesta road car, Ford's four-wheel drive WRC challenger was developed from the 2010 Monte Carlo Rally-winning Ford Fiesta S2000 by the Blue Oval's long-term British-based partner M-Sport, with support from Ford of Europe.  The all-new Fiesta forms part of a new era in the World Rally Championship, for which a revised cost-effective formula was introduced for 2011.

The WRC is acknowledged as the toughest form of motorsport for production-based cars, which battle for world titles in such diverse and demanding conditions as the barren, frozen countryside of Sweden and sweltering temperatures and boulder-strewn roads of Greece.

M-Sport, together with Ford's engineering team, undertook a varied and structured development programme with the Fiesta RS WRC in readiness for the 2011 season.

Ford technical director Christian Loriaux said the team had not compromised on anything.  "We obtained plenty of data from the standard Fiesta road car, and the S2000 which competed in the S-WRC and other championships last year.  We re-evaluated every area and if we thought certain areas could be improved, we went ahead and did so.”

"Apart from the roll cage and chassis there aren't too many parts that the Fiesta RS WRC shares with the S2000.  Plenty of parts may look similar, but they have been modified to be lighter, stiffer or whatever we felt would bring an improvement," added Loriaux.

Ford of Europe's design team played a key role in the look of the Fiesta RS WRC.  Its input ensured that the car visually reflects the successful 'kinetic design' styling cues synonymous with Ford's line-up on the road.

"Together with Ford of Europe's design team, we carried out a full restyling of the car to incorporate as many aspects as we could of Ford's kinetic design styling cues that are an integral part of the company's road vehicles.  There are some necessary modifications for aerodynamic reasons, but both Ford and M-Sport are delighted with the car's appearance," said Loriaux.

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1.6-litre Ford EcoBoost technology

The 1.6-litre turbocharged direct injection engine that powers the rally car draws on the knowledge of Ford's advanced EcoBoost technology, used in its latest production cars.

Senior Manager at Motorsport Ford of Europe, Gerard Quinn, said: "Ford's EcoBoost road engine represents a new generation of downsized, high-efficiency, petrol engines.  Developed by Ford engineers in Europe, the four-cylinder EcoBoost production unit combines high-pressure direct injection, advanced turbocharging and twin variable valve timing to maximise combustion efficiency.  Different displacements are already available in Ford road vehicles around the globe.

"The knowledge accumulated during the design of the EcoBoost road engine proved invaluable during development of the rally car unit.  Technology transfer usually switches from rally cars to road vehicles, but in this situation we're delighted it has taken the opposite route," he added.

Engine tuner Pipo Moteurs took responsibility for the development of the Fiesta RS WRC's power plant.  The French company, which has developed a strong relationship with M-Sport and Ford Motorsport in recent years, worked closely with engineers from both companies throughout the development process.

Ford provided key support in this task via its global engineering facilities, including its Powertrain Research and Innovation Centre in the United States, its Engine Research Centre at Dunton in the UK and its Research & Advanced Engineering Centre in Aachen, Germany, to evaluate performance.

The most challenging task was to implement direct injection technology, which is relatively new in motorsport, and Loriaux admitted the engine development was a huge task.  "It was a massive undertaking.  Direct injection was a complex beast and it was the first time many of us in the team had the opportunity to work with forced injection in a competition engine.  The engine was the biggest challenge of the whole project," he said.

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Under the skin of the Fiesta RS WRC

The Fiesta RS WRC's 1.6-litre EcoBoost power unit has turbocharging from a Garrett system, which is fitted with a 33mm inlet restrictor, as required by FIA regulations.  The unit is managed by Cosworth's electronic engine system.  Cosworth also provides chassis data acquisition.

The four-wheel drive transmission contains mechanical front and rear differentials, with a clutch disconnect system fitted to the handbrake.  The M-Sport / X-Trac-built six-speed sequential gearbox is operated by a mechanical shift, using a twin disc clutch built by M-Sport and AP Racing.

Both front and rear suspension comprises MacPherson struts with Reiger external reservoir dampers, which are adjustable in bump and rebound.  It contains fully adjustable steel links and the uprights are made from machined aluminium.

Brembo ventilated brake discs with four-piston monoblock calipers provide the stopping power on both loose and sealed surface roads, with the braking system adjustable to provide either front or rear bias.

Michelin's 650mm tyres will be used on all surfaces, allied with 7in x 15in aluminium wheels for gravel and snow and 8in x 18in wheels for asphalt.

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Fiesta RS WRC testing kilometres

In the lead-up to its competitive debut, the Fiesta RS WRC covered more than 11,000 kilometres of testing on gravel, asphalt, snow and ice – the equivalent of more than two full seasons of WRC competition.

The team began by installing a 2.0-litre engine from a 2010 Focus RS WRC into the Fiesta S2000 rally car in March 2010.

Testing was stepped up significantly in August when a 1.6-litre prototype engine (without direct injection) was installed for the first time. Since then the car was trialled on gravel roads in Britain, Portugal, France and Spain; on asphalt in Britain, France and Spain; and on snow and ice in Sweden.

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The hard work rewarded

The extensive testing that the Fiesta RS WRC underwent did not go unrewarded as the all-new challenger locked-out the podium in both the season opener in Sweden and the season finale in Wales.

Claiming no fewer than 13 podiums in its inaugural year, the 2011 Wales Rally GB also saw the Fiesta RS WRC set a new record for Ford with eight cars in the top 10 – a feat never before achieved by any manufacturer in the WRC’s history.

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Technical Specifications