ŠKODA FABIA R5: Update for the most successful rally car of its category

 

› At the Geneva International Motor Show ŠKODA Motorsport presents update of the most successful rally car in brand’s history, the ŠKODA FABIA R5

› Close-to-production rally challenger gets technical improvements as well as key design elements of 2019 ŠKODA FABIA road car

› Updated ŠKODA FABIA R5 will be available from the middle of 2019 for the first customers

› Until the end of 2018, in total 252 cars of the ŠKODA FABIA R5 have been sold

 

Mladá Boleslav, 14 February 2019 – The most successful rally car in the brand’s history, the ŠKODA FABIA R5, will get an update. At the Geneva International Motor Show

(7 – 17 March 2019) ŠKODA Motorsport unveils its rally car, which adopts key design elements of the 2019 ŠKODA FABIA road car. Additionally, the rally car gets technical improvements. For example, the 1.6-litre turbo charged engine of the new generation rally challenger was upgraded improving power output and engine response. The ŠKODA FABIA R5 is due to be homologated by the International Motorsport Federation FIA in the second quarter of 2019 and will later be available to customers worldwide.

The new generation ŠKODA FABIA R5 rally car, in perfect correspondence with the current road-going ŠKODA FABIA, features a new headlight design and performance and reliability improvements. "The next generation of our multiple championship winning ŠKODA FABIA R5 is an important step to keep our customers worldwide and the ŠKODA factory team competitive," says Michal Hrabánek, Head of ŠKODA Motorsport.

After having been tested on thousands of kilometres on gravel tracks and asphalt roads as well as on snow and ice, the updated ŠKODA FABIA R5 follows in the footsteps of the most successful rally car in the brand’s history. "We make sure, that after the homologation process our customers get a car, which is fully developed and ready for competition without any compromises. Thoroughness in the development of a new rally car has absolute priority for ŠKODA Motorsport. We strictly follow the same processes of quality management and control as in ŠKODA’s road car production," emphasizes Hrabánek.

In 2018 alone, the titles in the Team Championship of the FIA World Rally Championship’s WRC 2 category were won, while ŠKODA Motorsport celebrated the top three positions of the WRC 2 drivers and co-drivers categories as well. As a result of the increased efforts in customer services, ŠKODA customers as well were successful worldwide, winning the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), the FIA South American Rally Championship (CODASUR) the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC) and 17 national rally titles with a ŠKODA FABIA R5.

Until the end of last year, 252 ŠKODA FABIA R5 have been delivered worldwide, in 2018 alone 80 cars were sold to customers. In 2019 ŠKODA Motorsport will enter two cars into selected rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship. Finnish youngsters Kalle Rovanperä and co-driver Jonne Halttunen will compete in the new WRC 2 Pro Championship. Reigning WRC 2 Champions Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler from Czech Republic will be seen on selected WRC events as well. They will also try to defend their title of Czech Rally Champions.

The calendar of the 2019 FIA World Rally Championship (WRC 2 Pro)

Event Date

Monte-Carlo 24/01/–27/01/2019

Sweden 14/02/–17/02/2019

Mexico 07/03/–10/03/2019

France 28/03/–31/03/2019

Argentina 25/04/–28/04/2019

Chile 09/05/–12/05/2019

Portugal 30/05/–02/06/2019

Italy 13/06/–16/06/2019

Finland 01/08/–04/08/2019

Germany 22/08/–25/08/2019

Turkey 12/09/–15/09/2019

Great Britain 03/10/–06/10/2019

Spain 24/10/–27/10/2019

Australia 14/11/–17/11/2019

ŠKODA Motorsport Overview

2018 was the most successful year in the history of ŠKODA Motorsport so far. Jan Kopecký/Pavel Dresler (CZE/CZE) became WRC 2 champions and managed to win the Czech Rally Championship (MČR) for the fourth consecutive time. 2017 WRC 2 winners Pontus Tidemand/Jonas Andersson finished second overall, and youngsters Kalle Rovanperä/ Jonne Halttunen (FIN/FIN) completed a pure ŠKODA podium in the final standings of the 2018 FIA World Rally Championship’s WRC 2 category. For the fourth time in a row ŠKODA Motorsport won the WRC 2 Championship for Teams.

The success story of the Czech brand took place worldwide. The private ŠKODA driver Yuya Sumiyama and navigator Takahiro Yasui from Japan won the 2018 FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), Manvir Singh Baryan/Drew Sturrock (KEN/GBR) took the title win in the FIA African Rally Championship (ARC). After winning the FIA South American Rally Championship (CODASUR) in 2013, 2016 and 2017, ŠKODA crew Gustavo Saba/Fernando Mussano (PRY/ARG) again were successful. On top of that, ŠKODA crews won 17 national championships.

The ŠKODA FABIA R5, a high-tech 4x4, was homologated by the International Automobile Federation FIA on 1 April 2015. ŠKODA’s new FABIA R5 is successfully continuing the long tradition of ŠKODA Motorsport. Its predecessor, the FABIA SUPER 2000, won 50 national and international titles around the world.

ŠKODA has been successful on the motorsport scene since 1901. Be it on the circuit or in rallies, ŠKODA has celebrated victories and won titles all around the world. Historical highlights include winning the title in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC 2) for the first time in 2016, numerous title wins in the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC), the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC), as well as the victory in the European Touring Car Championship in 1981. ŠKODA teams have also triumphed in the world’s oldest and most famous rally, taking several class victories in the legendary Monte Carlo, which was first held in 1911.