Fabia R5 - new Skoda rally car

[RapidRonnie]

I thought I would start a new thread with this car's proper name now it is soon to make it's debut.

 

Final tests have been taking place this week, homologation should be next week and it's debut should happen in April in the Czech Republic.

 

Programmes for this year should be Esapekka Lappi in WRC2, Jan Kopecky in the Czech Championship plus Pontus Tidemand in APRC. Maybe two cars on some or all WRC events.

 

[vrskeith]

Bloody good, sounds great! Good luck in the series.

 

Come on vRS MK3,it must happen. Juices are now flowing.

Edited 27 March, 2015 by vrskeith

[Ootohere]

I love them, but am confused with Skoda in Rallying and Motorsport.

I understand the Motorsport Technology working its way into road cars.

I understand the Skoda Heritage and History and success in Motorsport.

 

But they Campaign the likes of the S2000 Fabia and now the R5 with the All New 3rd Generation Fabia Body Shape,

then they sell to the public cars using the 'Monte Carlo' name to denote the Trim.

 

The All New 3rd Generation Fabia comes with a Maximum 110ps Engine and a 3 Cylinder Diesel or a 1.2 or 1.0 Petrol 3 & 4 Cylinder.

Some of the 'Sports' style Rally Inspired Mk2 Fabia with the 'Monte Carlo' name were 60 BHP,

& even the ones up to 105 ps had rear Drum Brakes.

 

So what are they promoting, not sales of the Warm or Hot Hatches because they are not Building or Selling any in the UK 

or anyplace else around the World.

[RapidRonnie]

I would love to see a Fabia RS road car, but manufacturers don't do motorsport programmes just to promote their road cars. It should reflect on the whole brand.

 

I follow motorsport and rallying very closely, have always driven Skoda yet I have not yet had an RS model as they just haven't been the most practical cars for me at the time.

 

Besides, as well as the works team using the R5, it will be for sale for privateers so sales of complete cars and parts will go a long way to funding the works team's programme.

[Ootohere]

Is it not actually Profits from the general public buying road cars that gives the income for Advertising and the Sponsorships 

and Motorsport, just a roundabout really.

 

So 220ps Octavias and a 230ps one coming, and maybe a vRS Superb.

Not much Sporting or even Fast Road Cars going on with Skoda CZ.   

 

They probably make more on Skoda Motorsport Merchandise than they do on the sale of Competition Vehicles to Private or Team buyers.

[camelspyyder]

I dont think John Haugland's 136L that won its RAC rally class every year had many ponies either.

 

It probably sold lots of Skodas in the UK though.

[camelspyyder]

I love them, but am confused with Skoda in Rallying and Motorsport.

I understand the Motorsport Technology working its way into road cars.

I understand the Skoda Heritage and History and success in Motorsport.

 

But they Campaign the likes of the S2000 Fabia and now the R5 with the All New 3rd Generation Fabia Body Shape,

then they sell to the public cars using the 'Monte Carlo' name to denote the Trim.

 

The All New 3rd Generation Fabia comes with a Maximum 110ps Engine and a 3 Cylinder Diesel or a 1.2 or 1.0 Petrol 3 & 4 Cylinder.

Some of the 'Sports' style Rally Inspired Mk2 Fabia with the 'Monte Carlo' name were 60 BHP,

& even the ones up to 105 ps had rear Drum Brakes.

 

So what are they promoting, not sales of the Warm or Hot Hatches because they are not Building or Selling any in the UK 

or anyplace else around the World.

 

They are promoting the brand.  See my post about old time rally skodas above.

[Ootohere]

Promoting in as making the general public aware of the Skoda Brand i understand.

Motorsport Heritage & Motorsport Success i understand.

 

But its advertising, it does not relate to their Vehicles as sold in Showrooms, they have no cars anymore in showrooms 

that are even close to the Competition Cars, not even a Sporty Front Wheel drive Fabia, let alone a Hot AWD Fabia, Rapid or Octavia.

 

 

Maybe a Anniversary Celebration Skoda should be around 1300cc and small and light and hark back to the successes of John Haugland.

The 1.4TSI s2000 Fabia was a Stickered up tribute,  and the Rally Inspired Monte Carlo Fabias a joke really.  JIMO.

Even a Citigo with some go is nearer the mark than some porky Octavia.

 

PS

Promoting the Brand in the US seems to have little function unless the VWG are intending selling Skoda cars in the US.

Edited 27 March, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[Ootohere]

Wonderful stuff.

[RapidRonnie]

Latest test.. apparantely the Fabia is geared somewhat longer than the other R5 cars hence high top speed.

 

[camelspyyder]

Promoting in as making the general public aware of the Skoda Brand i understand.

Motorsport Heritage & Motorsport Success i understand.

 

But its advertising, it does not relate to their Vehicles as sold in Showrooms, they have no cars anymore in showrooms 

that are even close to the Competition Cars, not even a Sporty Front Wheel drive Fabia, let alone a Hot AWD Fabia, Rapid or Octavia.

 

 

Maybe a Anniversary Celebration Skoda should be around 1300cc and small and light and hark back to the successes of John Haugland.

The 1.4TSI s2000 Fabia was a Stickered up tribute,  and the Rally Inspired Monte Carlo Fabias a joke really.  JIMO.

Even a Citigo with some go is nearer the mark than some porky Octavia.

 

PS

Promoting the Brand in the US seems to have little function unless the VWG are intending selling Skoda cars in the US.

 

How many Renault or Mercedes road cars have any similarity with their F1 products?  At least competition Skodas look like roadgoing Skodas.

 

If you commit to a World Championship, the FIA make you compete in all of it, not just your established markets.

[Ootohere]

You lost me there jumping to F1 now.

No Road Car Bodies being used there other than the Mercedes Safety / Doctors cars.

 

Skoda Rally cars do indeed look like Road Going cars that they produce,

now the Car that comes with 110ps as a max as they sell in showrooms.

 

Renault know where to use the Body Shape / Shell and then sell vehicles with some Sporting go,

not just 'Sporty Looks / Emotive.'

Even Volkswagen, Audi & Seat will use the Road Car Body shape and sell cars with some interest to enthusiastic drivers.

http://renaultsport.co.uk/championships/cliocup

 

Re Longer Gearing on the new 1.6 litre compared to the old 2 litre.

Surely the gearing and top speed will be set as required for the Tarmac, Gravel & Snow rallies.

Edited 5 April, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[RapidRonnie]

 

Re Longer Gearing on the new 1.6 litre compared to the old 2 litre.

Surely the gearing and top speed will be set as required for the Tarmac, Gravel & Snow rallies.

 

They are only allowed to homologate three sets of gear ratios, but it seems Skoda have chosen to use longer gear ratios than their competition.

[Ootohere]

Thanks for that.

Which Gear Sets will they have got that from, having produced the limited production roads going VW Polo WRC or A1 Quattro,

not a Skoda Fabia they sold was it.?

 

 

If Motorsport Technology advances road cars, & Skoda have had success with the S2000 Fabia, & lots of testing of the R5

why is the All New 3rd Generation 2015 Road Going Skoda Fabia still using basically the same very basic Spring/ Damper set up since 1999,

and Braking Systems including rear Drum Brakes that are just adequate really.

[JohnMcL7]

goneoffSKi - I agree with you about the rally cars, it seems to be much the same across many of the rally cars and I find that frustrating.  Many years ago although the Impreza or Lancer wasn't quite as powerful or light as the rally version, they were still powerful four wheel drive cars that clearly bore more than just a resemblance.  For many years Citroen had a tremendously successful partnership with Sebastian Loeb winning record numbers of championships yet there were never any road going cars anything remotely similar to the winning WRC cars, although Ford were producing sporty RS and ST cars they were still all front wheel drive (only recently changed)

 

John

[RapidRonnie]

Thanks for that.

Which Gear Sets will they have got that from, having produced the limited production roads going VW Polo WRC or A1 Quattro,

not a Skoda Fabia they sold was it.?

 

 

If Motorsport Technology advances road cars, & Skoda have had success with the S2000 Fabia, & lots of testing of the R5

why is the All New 3rd Generation 2015 Road Going Skoda Fabia still using basically the same very basic Spring/ Damper set up since 1999,

and Braking Systems including rear Drum Brakes that are just adequate really.

 

I don't really think that motorsport does much in terms of advancing road car design. They are completely different products for completely different purposes.

 

Neither the gearbox or suspension will have any real relation to the road car. Shock absorbers on the rally car will be thousands of pounds each which is why they don't use them on the road car.

[vrskeith]

http://www.evo.co.uk/skoda/fabia/14744/skoda-fabia-r-5-receives-fia-homologation

[Ootohere]

Nice.

I am lost in what Genes are incorporated in the new 3rd Generation Production Fabia.

They have used the Body Shell and applied Skoda Badges on the R5.

 

But what has gone into the new Production Car that has anything that was used on the Rally Car.?

110 Max PS, Front Wheel Drive, Hydro Electric Steering, nothing very rally Gene there.

[Wile7]

I think it is one of the best looking rally cars that I have seen in a long time.

If they ever offered a road going version (like the 6R4, RS200, Renault 5 Turbo Maxi, Citroen BX 4TC etc) I'd sell my kids for one...possibly

Wife would like it too as it has 4 doors

[Ootohere]

Skoda decided to use Monte Carlo with the MK2 Fabia Special Editions,

but went a bit far saying 'Rally Inspired', for the 105 ps Diesels & Petrols.

http://skoda.co.uk/finance/finance-offers/fabia-monte-carlo-tech/default

 

Hopefully a successful Fabia R5 will have VWG allowing Skoda to build at least a Hot Hatch Showroom car.

Even if it is the 1.8 TSI engine as used in the new Polo GTI & A1 it will at least have Skoda selling something small and sporting,

not just 'Sporty' Looks.

Edited 9 April, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[RapidRonnie]

[vrskeith]

If only this would lead to a new Fabia vRS!!!!!

[camelspyyder]

I did not know what R5 meant (not Renault 5 obviously)

 

or R2 (Fiesta)

 

or R3 (DS3)

 

Some kind of junior rally cars I guessed.

 

Answers here:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Group_R

 

So that's all clear then.

 

WRC cars compete in WRC

 

R3 R2 R1 compete in WRC3

 

R5 R4 compete in WRC2

 

Clear as mud :think:

[Ootohere]

Fortunate for both Ford & Skoda that it looks like R S on the Livery,

 

so Skoda can just use a wee V & get a Fabia v R5

[Ootohere]

http://worldrallyblog.com/2015/04/15/wrc-news/new-fabia-r5-to-compete-in-aprc-cz-and-wrc2