Skoda: No series without motorsport 🎥
A central role is played by motorsport in the development of production vehicles, also at Skoda. Many components are tested at rallies before they are installed in large numbers. The structure of the rally car is designed for jumps and strong acceleration forces. A Å koda Fabia Rally2 evo, for example, consists of a total of around 3000 components - around 40 [...]
The structure of the rally car is designed for jumps and strong acceleration forces.
A Å koda Fabia Rally2 evo, for example, consists of a total of around 3,000 components - around 40 percent of which are used in almost identical form in production vehicles, including the engine block, for example.
First impressions during test drives
During the development of the production model and the rally car, which often takes place in parallel, the Å koda Motorsport engineers share the impressions gathered during test drives with their colleagues in the development department. For example, the position of the headlights in the production model was adopted from the motorsport version.
Components from the series
The supreme motorsport authority FIA has stipulated for Rally2 vehicles such as the Å koda Fabia Rally2 evo that a number of parts and components must come from series production. The aim is to keep this category attractively priced for private drivers as well.
The maximum selling price of vehicles in this class is therefore 200,000 euros. A Fabia Rally2 evo therefore consists of FIA-regulated components, special motorsport components, original parts and modified series components.
Double technology transfer
However, the technology transfer between motorsport and series production is not a one-way street - it works in both directions. The power unit of the Fabia Rally2 is made in Mladá Boleslav and was developed in parallel with the production engine.
The 1.6-liter turbocharged engine is based on the 1.8-liter unit used in the production model of the Superb for the Chinese market. 70 percent of the engine components, including the turbocharger, fan and alternator, come from series production.
Body with modifications
Compared with a standard Fabia, around 55 percent of the body of the rally vehicle is identical or only slightly modified. However, certain components prescribed by the regulations must also be taken into account when building the rally vehicle.
Ventilation nozzles for the rally crew
The interior of the Fabia Rally2 evo differs fundamentally from the standard model. The dashboard in the rally car is based on the standard version, but the instruments no longer have anything in common with the series.
While the standard Fabia provides air conditioning for the passengers, the rally crew is supplied with fresh air at ambient temperature by ventilation nozzles. At rallies in winter, however, the pilot and co-driver can fall back on a heater. After all.
