Though Ford has positioned its Fiesta subcompact as the quintessential urban runabout, the brand’s racing division sees the car suited to more rugged duty.
Ford North America Motorsport announced Tuesday that its Racing Performance Group will offer a certified rally-conversion kit, called the R2, for the 2011 Fiesta’s 4-door hatchback body style. The kit, developed by Ford’s Europe-based World Rally Championship build partner M-Sport, will be available for North American customers exclusively through New Hampshire’s Team O’Neil Motorsports.
R2 Fiestas are eligible to compete in next year’s Fiesta Sport Trophy Championship, a two-wheel-drive racing series sanctioned by RallyCar, the sport’s United States governing body. The class’s overall victor will race at an international two-wheel-drive Fiesta championship in Britain. Up for grabs is a residential placement on Ford’s W.R.C. team.
Displacement of the United State-spec R2 Fiesta’s 4-cylinder remains at 1.6 liters.? However, a 40 percent horsepower increase is achieved over the base model — from 120 to 168 — through significant modifications to pistons, camshafts, filters and other systems.
Accompanying the R2 kit is an additional equipment group, the Stage 1 kit, aimed at novice rally racers. It includes a limited-slip differential, a roll-cage and undisclosed engine upgrades. Pricing for both kits has yet to be announced.
Ford Racing previously debuted its all-wheel-drive Fiesta W.R.C. at last month’s Paris motor show, which generates 300 horsepower from its 1.6-liter inline 4 through turbocharging.
The R2 kit’s components are on view at Ford’s booth during the SEMA Show in Las Vegas through Nov. 5, where Ford North America Motorsport rally drivers, Tanner Foust and Ken Block, are also scheduled to make appearances.
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