Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 debuts with a new color & new engine

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Skoda has revealed the 4th-gen Fabia-based Fabia RS Rally2 that’ll succeed the previous Fabia Rally2 and Fabia Rally2 evo models. The new rally car boasts what is billed as an extremely rigid body structure, a powerful TSI engine, new styling, and of course, superior aerodynamics with a significant increase in downforce.

Obviously, the Fabia RS Rally2 has grown in dimensions, thanks to the MQB-A0 platform. Compared with the regular road car and its Monte Carlo sibling, the rally version flaunts extended wheel arches with a squared-off edge on one side; additional vents on the bonnet; a roof scoop; a gigantic roof spoiler, and of course, different bumpers to match with the wheel arches. For asphalt competitions, the car rides on 18-inch wheels with discs measuring 355 mm at the front and 300 mm at the rear, while for gravel, 15-inch wheels are fitted with 300 mm discs at both ends. But for some reason, the traditional green paint has been replaced with a more vibrant Green Mamba.

The Fabia RS Rally2 doesn’t use any airbags, but as mentioned, Skoda promises an extremely rigid body structure, with an obligatory roll cage welded onto the platform even before the sides of the body are assembled onto the car. The frame consists of a total of 35.8 metres of tubing.

Moving on to the juicy bits of the story then, 1.6-litre 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine is said to be a new development, based on a 2.0L TSI engine used by some of the regular road cars in Skoda’s current lineup. Here, it delivers 214 kW (291 metric hp) and 430 Nm (317 lb-ft) of torque. The engine is paired with a 5-speed sequential transmission that distributes the output to all four wheels via front & rear mechanical differentials. One of the key features of the new rally car is the electro-hydraulically controlled inter-axle clutch, which allows for the front and rear axles to be disengaged by applying the handbrake, which is often used in rallying to get around sharp corners quickly.

The Fabia RS Rally2 also boasts an FIA-standard fuel tank made with a combo of nylon and special rubber. Inside the 82.5-litre tank, there is a special foam to reduce fuel leakage. The underside of the tank is shielded with housing made of fibreglass and Kevlar.