Skoda Kodiak, in nieuwe WRC-klasse, debuut Monte-carlo 2018

[Hetzer]

he ŠKODA KODIAQ WRC will debut on a racecourse in January 2018 at the Rally Monte Carlo. The names of the drivers and co-drivers who will crew the two ŠKODA KODIAQ WRC rally cars will be announced by ŠKODA Motorsport in September.
› ŠKODA Motorsport is entering a new category in the FIA World Rally Championship
› The successful FABIA R5 will be joined by the KODIAQ WRC destined for the new WRC SUV class
› The KODIAQ WRC will premiere at the 2018 Rally Monte Carlo
Mladá Boleslav, 1 April 2017 – ŠKODA is expanding its participation in top-tier world rally sport. The brand of the world champions is entering the newly established WRC SUV category with the ŠKODA KODIAQ WRC.

The ŠKODA Motorsport works team will be starting in two categories for the first time in the FIA World Rally Championship next year. In addition to the successful ŠKODA FABIA R5 in the WRC 2 category, it also will compete in the new WRC SUV category.

The category was established by the championship promoter to answer the ever-increasing popularity of SUVs. Starting from the next racing season, a new class of racing vehicles – WRC SUV – will compete alongside the current WRC and WRC 2 categories. It is reserved exclusively for vehicles derived from production SUV models.

ŠKODA will enter its own representative in the new category in the form of a modified ŠKODA KODIAQ. The new large SUV is just entering the international market and is enjoying universal acclaim.

The KODIAQ WRC meets all of the necessary technical criteria. FIA regulations dictate the use of a turbocharged engine with a displacement of 2.0 litres and a minimum vehicle weight of 1,650 kilograms.

Two electronic assistance systems are also onboard and carried over from the standard model. Driver Alert can recognise drive fatigue, while Blind Spot Detect warns the driver of vehicles travelling in the blind spot of the driver´s rear-view mirror.

The ŠKODA KODIAQ WRC is built upon the experience of the same team which took the ŠKODA FABIA R5 to the World Championship title in the WRC 2 category. The excellent performance of ŠKODA Motorsport continues. The FABIA R5 won 13 of the past 14 races in the current and previous season. Most recently, in March, Pontus Tidemand won the Rally Guanajuato México.

The ŠKODA Motorsport Team is looking forward to the new challenge and intends to follow the successful track record of the Fabia R5 with the KODIAQ WRC. The team’s management, designers and technicians have plenty of work still ahead of them, but everyone believes that they will cover all bases and that the new vehicle will be in top form and best prepared for competition.

The ŠKODA KODIAQ WRC will debut on a racecourse in January 2018 at the Rally Monte Carlo. The names of the drivers and co-drivers who will crew the two ŠKODA KODIAQ WRC rally cars will be announced by ŠKODA Motorsport in September.

 

[Hetzer]

Voor degene die had opgelet !!

1 april grap!!!

Al denk ik dat het concept wel gaat verschijnen in bijvoorbeeld Wörthersee



ŠKODA clarifies: the ŠKODA KODIAQ’s entry into rallying was only an April Fools’ joke

› There is no involvement in motorsport planned for the brand’s first large SUV
› ŠKODA Motorsport is continuing its successful WRC2 world championship campaign with the ŠKODA FABIA R5
› The turbocharged all-wheel-drive car is currently the most successful rally vehicle in the WRC2 series
› KODIAQ SPORTLINE: the sporty, elegant variant accentuates the agility and dynamism of the SUV

Mladá Boleslav, 3 2 April 2017 – Everyone needs a bit of fun. Based on this motto, ŠKODA allowed itself a little joke, in time for 1 April. The long-established Czech brand will, of course, not be taking part in the FIA’s Rally World Championship WRC SUV series with the ŠKODA KODIAQ from 2018, as was stated on Saturday. The truth is: the car manufacturer is continuing its successful presence in the WRC2 series with ŠKODA FABIA R5. Fans of the KODIAQ’s particularly sporty appearance can rejoice however, as ŠKODA is will also be offering the model as an elegant, dynamic SPORTLINE variant.

Admittedly, the idea of chasing fastest times in a ŠKODA KODIAQ kitted out for rallying on snow, mud and gravel, certainly has an element of charm. As, with its rugged character and optional all-wheel drive, the brand’s first large SUV also brilliantly masters rough terrain. However, taking part in the FIA World Rally Championship is out of the question – not least because the sporting regulations set by the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) does not allow for the use of vehicles from this category. But also because the WRC SUV series mentioned in the April Fools’ press release is a figment of the imagination.

Of course, rally fans can still continue to look forward to thrilling action from Mladá Boleslav. As ŠKODA Motorsport is continuing its successful participation in the World Rally Championship’s WRC2 series. With the ŠKODA FABIA R5, the brand is supplying the currently most successful vehicle in the WRC2 series. Since it made its debut in the 2015 season, the turbocharged all-wheel-drive car with a power output of roughly 280 PS has not only been kicking up a storm in the World Rally Championship but also in numerous national championships as well. At nine World Championship events in just its first season in the WRC2, the ŠKODA FABIA R5 seized twelve podium places; on four occasions, ŠKODA drivers stood on the top step. In 2016, the ŠKODA FABIA R5 trumped this record of success: across 14 World Championship events it recorded ten victories, achieved 25 podium finishes and won 192 special stages. Consequently, the ŠKODA works duo Esapekka Lappi / Janne Ferm secured the World Championship title in the WRC2 series.

The ŠKODA KODIAQ also sets benchmarks within its segment. The long-established Czech brand’s first large SUV impresses with the largest boot within its segment, up to seven seats, more than 30 ‘Simply Clever’ features and efficient engines. In addition to which, it offers pioneering features in terms of connectivity and driver assistance. With the ŠKODA KODIAQ SPORTLINE, ŠKODA is will be offering an elegant, dynamic variant of the SUV for those who want to stand out. With its sporty exterior and interior design, it accentuates the agility and dynamism of the model range above all else and combines its unique charisma with the ŠKODA KODIAQ’s versatile qualities.