Volkswagen Polo GTI R5

Volkswagen Polo GTI R5
Johan Kristoffersson at the 2020 Rally Sweden.
Overview
ManufacturerVolkswagen Motorsport
Model years2018–present
Body and chassis
ClassR5
LayoutFront-engine, four-wheel drive
PlatformVolkswagen Polo
RelatedVolkswagen Polo R WRC
Powertrain
Engine1.60 L (98 cu in) transversely-mounted turbocharged inline-4 16-valve
Chronology
PredecessorVolkswagen Polo R WRC

The Volkswagen Polo GTI R5 is a rally car built by Volkswagen Motorsport and based upon the Volkswagen Polo road car. It is built to R5 regulations and is a successor to the Volkswagen Polo R WRC.[1] The Polo GTI R5 made its competitive début at the 2018 Rally Catalunya, where it was driven by 2003 World Drivers' Champion Petter Solberg and Eric Camilli.[2][3] The car currently competes in the World Rally Championship-2 where it is entered by various privateers.[4][5]

History

Main article: Volkswagen Polo R WRC § Project cancellation

After four years of extremely dominant success in the outright category of the WRC with the Volkswagen Polo R WRC, in 2016 Volkswagen Motorsport began development of a new Polo WRC for the 2017-specification regulations. Despite extensive testing undertaken with the car, in November 2016 Volkswagen announced they would cancel development of the new Polo, along with a withdrawal from the World Rally Championship. In April of 2017, however, Volkswagen announced intentions to remain in the sport, with plans to develop the new Volkswagen Polo GTI for the R5 class, to be used mostly in the hands of privateer drivers in the World Rally Championship-2.[6]

The R5 Polo was developed in collaboration with Skoda, one of Volkswagen's subsidiaries, who also had an R5 car of their own, based on the Skoda Fabia. In December of 2017, Volkswagen officially unveiled the R5-specification Volkswagen Polo GTI. The car's engine developed 272 brake horsepower from 1.6 litres. Volkswagen's plans were to have the first completed model passing international homologation by the summer of 2018, and begin delivery to customers soon afterwards.[7]

Shortly afterwards, Volkswagen confirmed fifteen cars had been ordered by various European and South American customers. Austrian rally team BRR Baumschlager Rallye & Racing had purchased three of them, with other cars going to other high-end teams such as Printsport and Kristoffersson Motorsport.[8]

Results

World Rally Championship-2 victories

No. Event Year Driver Co-driver
1 Sweden 2019 Rally Sweden 2019 Norway Ole Christian Veiby Sweden Jonas Andersson
2 United Kingdom 2019 Wales Rally GB 2019 Norway Petter Solberg United Kingdom Phil Mills
3 Finland 2021 Arctic Rally 2021 Finland Esapekka Lappi Finland Janne Ferm
4 Portugal 2021 Rally de Portugal 2021 Finland Esapekka Lappi Finland Janne Ferm
5 Finland 2021 Rally Finland 2021 Finland Teemu Suninen Finland Mikko Markkula

World Rally Championship-3 victories

No. Event Year Driver Co-driver
1 Estonia 2020 Rally Estonia 2020 Sweden Oliver Solberg Republic of Ireland Aaron Johnston
2 Kenya 2021 Safari Rally 2021 Kenya Onkar Rai United Kingdom Drew Sturrock

European Rally Championship victories

No. Event Year Driver Co-driver
1 Latvia 2019 Rally Liepāja 2019 Norway Oliver Solberg United Kingdom Aaron Johnston
2 Cyprus 2019 Cyprus Rally 2019 Qatar Nasser Al-Attiyah France Mathieu Baumel
3 Latvia 2020 Rally Liepāja 2020 Sweden Oliver Solberg Republic of Ireland Aaron Johnston
4 Latvia 2021 Rally Liepāja 2021 Latvia Nikolay Gryazin Latvia Konstantin Aleksandrov

References

  1. ^ Evans, David (24 April 2017). "Volkswagen Polo WRC to run with a privateer for first time". autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  2. ^ "Rally RACC Catalunya 2018 Entry List" (PDF). rallyracc.com. rallyracc.com. 10 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  3. ^ Evans, David. "Solberg to make WRC return in Spain". Motorsport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  4. ^ "87. Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo" (PDF). Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Entry list Rallye Automobile de Monte Carlo 2019". Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  6. ^ Evans, David (24 April 2017). "Volkswagen Polo WRC to run with a privateer for first time". Autosport.com. Motorsport Network. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  7. ^ Padeanu, Adrian (5 December 2017). "VW Polo GTI R5 Officially Revealed With 272 HP, Four-Wheel Drive". Motor1.com. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  8. ^ "A successful sell-out: fifteen orders confirmed for new Polo GTI R5 rally car". Polodriver.com. Woo Themes. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 22 February 2019.

See also