Car Feature>> Koda Fabia S2000 Rally Car

This is the Škoda Fabia ‘Super 2000’ Rally car.

Running to similar regulations to the World and British Touring Cars, the new Super2000 Rally class allows for some variations including wider bodykit and four wheel drive. This regulations will form the basis of the new World Rally Championship from 2011.

As Škoda is part of Volkswagen Group (Its not called VAG anymore), legendary rally driver, VW’s Carols Sainz has helped with development.

The Škoda team have a limited program in 2009, concentrating on National rallies in Czech Republic and some events in the Intercontinental Rally Championship (IRC) which sometimes runs as part of the World Rally Championship.

The series is competitive with participation from the Czech manufacture, Peugeot, Honda and Fiat. Regular Speedhunters may remember our feature on the JAS Honda Civic in 2008.

The Fabia made its IRC in the Monte Carlo Rally. Finland’s Juho Hanninen was leading IRC car on Day one, although later retired. Team mate, Jan Kopecky finished 4th. The Fabia S2000 first win came in the Norwegian Rally.

Looking further ahead, Francois Duval and co-driver Denis Giraudet will be competing in a Rene Georges run Fabia S2000 on the famous Ypres Rally in June, with help from Škoda Motorsport and their Belgium importer.

Rene Georges have rallied a number of VW products in their time including the VW Polo S2000 and are official partner of VW Motorsport.

-Andy Blackmore

Images:Škoda, Rene Georges RallySport

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Škoda Motorsport

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Rene Georges Rally Sport

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1

Hmmm ... S2000. Just don't quite sound as good as WRC.



But then I am pretty sure WRC and the GroupAs didn't sound as good as the good old GroupB monsters as well. Bah well ...



Suppose if S2000 managed to get more manufacturers back then it's a good thing. Sorely missing Subaru in top class rally.

2

Have ever heard s2000 in real? I bet you didnt. It sounds awesome.. much better than turbo cars. Ands its faster too.



NA > turbo sound

3

Little mistake: "Team mate, Jan Jopecky finished 4th." its Kopecky.



Alan- sad but true, without Subaru its missing some spice.

4

There isn't a S2000 car that doesn't look awesome ....... even a skoda !



Alan: + 1000 but that is the evolution off rally cars, to some people .....



I believe that the sound of the NA s2000 is DOPE and of course better than the WRC

5

Some of the shots make the car looking awesome ;)

6

it's the beginning of a new era. i swallowed my tears for subaru. that's all folks...



pls make wallpaper from the jumping and the sideways skoda (i'd be very happy if you "wallpaper" the "stoppie" skoda as well



7

Alan - The current WRC class is not exactly healthy is it.



Wizardus -as ever, we only offer wallpaper of our own photos. These come from Skoda.



Miso- thanks, I'll correct.

8

it's OK, i've found them at the IRC, sorry. :)

9

you all sound like zombies. WRC is the highest form of rally competiton in the world, they shouldn't be making budget concious decisions to allow for more(smaller) manufacturers to participate. Especially when you run the risk of losing major manufacturers that have built their entire brand off of rally racing (mitsubishi/subaru) Two companies that production version somewhat resembles what they race with. So say farewell to 2.0l turbos, water cooled alcons, sequential box's............hahahha you might even be saying goodbye to Loeb.

10

Andy, great story.



I love the Gorden Livery. The question I've been asking myself is how will the new s2000 rules play out between the two rival series: IRC and WRC. With IRC flourishing now, will it continue in the next year when WRC adapts the new rules? Or will IRC stay as the leader.

11

I actually have no idea what kind of point you're trying to make Sean but I have this to say.



If anyone else is watching WRC this year, its a sad state of affairs. They need to do something, and do it soon, and if all the other series' that run S2000 specs are anything to guess from, it could save it. Because as of now it is dying. You speak of Subaru and Mitsubishi, well, they don't even support WRC anymore in anything even close to full capacity, we have Citroen and Ford. I can't wait to go get my turbocharged awd Citroen C4...oh, wait. The whole production rally car style point is moot, Subaru and Mitsubishi will keep on keeping on doing what they do, because its what they do, but don't expect for WRC cars to spawn road going copies, not anymore.



The FIA needed to do something before it died completely, and this should do it. I'd rather watch 20+ cars competing that were a lot more equal then starting to watch a rally knowing one of two drivers would win 99% of the time. That just isn't enjoyable.



And btw, these cars WILL be using a turbo package AND a wing package on top of the normal S2000 specs.

12

The Skoda looks a bit like the Suzuki Swift no?

13

wow great shots. amazing how motorsports can make an ugly car look so atractive.

seems like subaru couldnt keep that rally monster image when colin died, even tho he retired long before the fact.

14

hi.

I would like to confirm that this will be an awesome formula for those who think that it might not live up to the WRC cars as we know them. We have campaigned a POLO S2000 for two years in South Africa. check out http://www.jonwilliams.co.za

15

S2000 is a poor choice I think. The noise is great, but just the same as Touring cars etc, it's simply a high output 2 litre with individual throttles, whereas current turbo 4WD rally machines have a reasonably unique sound.



The lack of torque is where the big problem is. Rallying looks great to spectators with the car hustling along close to rocks, trees and all the rest, and mainly GOING SIDEWAYS - which will be massively reduced, and this will have an effect on casual viewers bothering to take an interest any more, which will hurt the sport even further.



Unfortunately it's not as easy to put on a show in 1300-odd kg of 4WD as it is in 900-odd kg of RWD with a similar-ish engine.

16

they should all be rwd

17

At the moment, WRC as we know it isn't working. Peugeot, Subaru, Hyundai and Mitsubishi have all left, so something has to happen, something cheaper than what we have at the moment (as thats the main reason cost). Harsh realities.

18

I read a while back, this theory that Mosley and the FIA want to make a world engine. A single 4 cylinder engine that will power F1 and WRC. The F1 motor would be Turbo, and the WRC motor would be NA, I didn't really take it seriously as the set date for this was 2013. However now with Further cost cutting to everything that is under the FIA as seen with the recent F1 2010 Fiasco, the reality is to use alternatives such as hybrids like KERS. Citroen already have a C4 hybrid spec car. I think the to recover the power lost going away from Turbo will have to be in the form of the battery, so you will need that ITB sound because hybrids, well you know how a Prius sounds.

19

Max's "world formula" is ambitious, but I think this is too force-fed on manufacturers.



And I think S2000 makes sense because people also want the cars they see racing be "available" to them in their dealership. Does Citroen make a toned-down WRC version of the C4? At least Ford, Subaru and Mitsubishi were able to make a car in spirit, close to their rally cars. Peugeot also had the GTi or the Rallye trim models of the venerable 306 and 206. And did they make a big mistake in introducing the 307 as their WRC car. Suzuki's Swift and SX4 also has performance versions found at Suzuki Sport dealers. Its all about giving the rally experience, even a part of it to the consumer, and that what I think S2000 is.

20

Ummm yeah any form of rally is awesome and pic request of the skoda launching 4 feet in the air!

21

skoda fabia? =D older version?haha anyone up for the 1liter 3 cylinder engine? =DDD but duuuh the wrc version isnt it so ....ok i still dont like them

22

ehm...yeah, current small vwskoda sux...but what about older rear engined models? I really love RH LR/B, 130RS and 180RS

23

The legendary Monte Carlo Rally starts today, with a prologue stage in the French Riviera, en-route to

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