- by Brian Byrne
Latest Focus WRC unveiled
27 March 2003: Ford's latest Focus world rally car has just been unveiled prior to its competition debut on the Rally New Zealand on April 11.
Significantly different in both looks and mechanics to the 2002 car, the Ford Focus RS WRC 03 is over 80 per cent new and is the first design from Ford Rallye Sport technical director Christian Loriaux. Highlights include radical changes to styling and aerodynamic package, new rear suspension system, improved weight distribution and new, lighter 2.0-litre turbocharged Duratec engine developed and built by Cosworth Racing.
Ford Rallye Sport and Ford’s mainstream engineering teams worked side by side on the project, including assessment of aerodynamic and cooling systems in Ford’s climatic wind tunnel in Cologne.
Weight savings have been made everywhere, with significant help from Cosworth Racing and Pi Research. Strengthening work included increasing the weight of the roll cage to improve driver safety.
The Ford Focus RS WRC 03 will undergo the necessary parts inspections by the FIA later this week and is due to be officially homologated as a World Rally Car on April 1. Markko Märtin and co-driver Michael Park and Belgian teammates François Duval and Stéphane Prévot will drive the new cars in 2003. The team’s third pairing of Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen will continue to drive a 2002-specification Focus WRC for the rest of the season.
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