Ford Announces Livery, Drivers for 2012 Fiesta RS Rally Car

As the team prepares for the 2012 FIA World Rally Championship, Ford Racing has shown off the livery treatment for its 2012 Fiesta RS rally car. As with the 2011 car, the new Fiesta RS wears numerous advertisements for its chief sponsor, Castrol EDGE engine oils.

The Fiesta RS will continue to use a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four engine with four-wheel drive for both the 2012 and 2013 seasons. It is loosely based on the Ford Fiesta road car, but upgrades like giant brake discs, a hydraulic handbrake, OZ Racing wheels, and a sequential racing transmission help prepare the RS for rally duty.

Ford’s lead rally car will again by piloted by Finnish driver Jari-Matti Latvala and co-driver Miikka Anttila. Last year, the duo won the final round of the championship at the Rally GB competition. Ford’s second Fiesta RS will be driven by Petter Solberg and co-driver Chris Patterson. Solberg was World Rally champion in 2003 and has 13 WRC wins under his belt.

The 2012 Fiesta will continue to be prepared by Britain’s M-Sport, which has built Ford of Europe’s rally cars since 1997. “The performance of the Fiesta RS WRC in 2011 was strong on all surfaces and I’m genuinely excited about what we can achieve in the future,” said M-Sport managing director Malcolm Wilson.

 

Source: Motor Trend