What's the news?
If you think the highly successful current Volkswagen Polo R World Rally Championship (WRC) contender is mean, then have a look at this bad boy. This is the proposed successor Polo R WRC for 2017 and it's faster, lighter and even more powerful.
Changes in WRC regulations mean the 2017 Volkswagen can have 380hp, more than 60hp up on the current car's 318hp, thanks to an air restrictor that's increased in size from 33- to 36mm. The minimum weight of the car has dropped 25kg to 1,175kg in total, while the designers have more aerodynamic freedom to play with - which will explain the car's width increasing by 50mm, the broader front spoiler and that colossal rear wing. Mechanically, an electronic centre differential can be used for the transmission.
"The 2017 WRC regulations include many spectacular technical innovations for the World Rally Championship," said Volkswagen Motorsport's director Jost Capito. "The World Rally Cars of the future will incorporate all the experience that teams have gained in recent years. They will be considerably more dynamic, while at the same time being safer. As usual, we are working painstakingly on the development of the next generation of the Polo R WRC. The key between now and the start of next season is to achieve the best possible prerequisites to allow the 2017 Polo R WRC to be as successful as its two predecessors."
Anything else?
Volkswagen Motorsport says the appearance of the car will change significantly from this impressionist drawing ahead of the season-opening Rally Monte Carlo in January 2017. And if you're wondering what Jost was on about when he mentions the success of its predecessors, allow us to tell you that - ahead of round four of the 2016 WRC at Rally Argentina at the end of the month - the current Polo R has won every round of the championship so far. That's some performance for the 2017 edition to emulate.