New Ford Fiesta R1 Ready to Rally
Photo: Ford Motor Company
The all-new Ford Fiesta R1 will give aspiring rally car drivers a solid first rung to step upon in what Ford and M-Sport call its Ladder of Opportunity. The Fiesta R1 follows the Fiesta R2, which was revealed last year, as the second vehicle built at M-Sport’s headquarters in Poland and boasts rally-refined equipment including a powerful EcoBoost engine.
“This is the latest car to be developed at M-Sport Poland and another project that we are all extremely proud of. The same passion and effort that went into the design of the all-new Ford Fiesta R2 has gone into this car, and I’m looking forward to seeing who will impress behind the wheel,” said M-Sport Poland Director Maciej Woda.
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The new Fiesta R1 joins the Fiesta R2 and Fiesta R5 in adopting the style of the Ford Fiesta ST-Line. More importantly for rallying purposes, it features a 150-horsepower EcoBoost engine, a Sadev five-speed sequential transmission with plated limited slip differential and AP Racing single-disc clutch, and a performance-oriented suspension utilizing Bilsten adjustable dampers and Eibach springs. A Life Racing F88 ECU and ECUMASTER gear display is included, and an anti-roll bar is optional.
The conversion kit will set drivers back around US$30,400 (€26,990 plus VAT) and the full car will cost around $52,000 (€45,990 plus VAT). Ford and M-Sport will also offer a conversion kit that will allow the driver to upgrade the vehicle to the R2 when they are ready to take the next step up aforesaid Ladder of Opportunity.
“As the first step on the ladder, the Ford Fiesta R1 is the perfect car for those first starting out in a career in rally,” added Woda. “It’s in this car that the starts of the future learn the skills that can take them to the very highest level. The same car can be easily upgraded to the latest R2 specification when ready, before progressing to the Ford Fiesta R5 and maybe even WRC!”
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