Ford launches Focus WRC 03

[Mikko]

Ford launches 2003 stunner
New Zealand · Ford · 26/03/2003 09:00:06

Click to see pic -
http://www.wrc.com/en_GB/Gallery/Photo/2003/003/2003_r_NZ_FORDLAUNCH1.htm

Ford Rallye Sport has unveiled what it describes as its “most technically advanced and revolutionary rally car ever” – and it looks the business.

The latest evolution of the Focus RS WRC – with its big rear wing and sharp contours throughout - will make its competition debut on Rally New Zealand next month and team insiders say it will be significant improvement on the last year’s model.

At-a-glance highlights of the new car include:

· Radical changes to styling and aerodynamic package to increase performance on faster rallies

· New rear suspension system

· Improved weight distribution

· Weight savings throughout the car

· New body shell and a roll cage which far exceeds minimum FIA safety requirement

· New lightweight engine developed and built by Cosworth Racing with improved response and more top end power

· Revised wiring loom and electronic control system

· More efficient engine and transmission cooling

· Enhanced Digital Messaging System to relay data to the co-driver's dashboard display

· Revised hydraulic control system

The new car is the brainchild of technical director Christian Loriaux and is his first design since joining the team at the beginning of the 2003 season.

“If world Rally Cars can be described as stunning, then that is the word I would use to describe the new Ford Focus RS WRC,” said Loriaux. “The large rear wing and revised bumpers give the car a very contemporary look from the outside and much has changed underneath as well.

“We know that the new car is quicker than the old one,” he added. “We began with a clean sheet of paper and we’ve ended up with a radical, revolutionary car, which retains all that was good from the previous model.”

[lammer]

haha mikko you beat me to it. i was ognna post it up.

the ford focus looks pimpin'

[ninjak84]

McCrae is with Citroen.

Ford can develope a 400lb rally car that does 0-60 in 1.2 seconds, but they're still fucked.
I don't think the Ford team will ever touch gold again, but I'm willing to watch and be proved wrong. :)

The car looks/sounds amazing though. I don't want to start a WRC argument.

[RiceCake]

Damn that focus looks hot! :drool:

[Toms-Celica]

Thats hot man! :clap:

[Mikko]

Similar design to the Impreza 03 WRC. What are those for? Real end lateral stability? In the same way that a fin/rudder applies stability.

[Mikko]

Ford's technical director Christian Loriaux explains the key areas where he has focused his efforts – no pun intended – when he was charged with developing the Focus WRC 03.

Aerodynamics
"This is one of the key areas of development and, by the very look of the vehicle, the most strikingly obvious. We wanted to improve the downforce on the Focus as we have been losing time to our key rivals on the faster rallies like Finland.

"One look tells you that there have been some quite radical changes.

There is a new, larger rear wing, the front bumper has been redesigned while the cooling scoops and all the body panels are new."



Suspension
"I think we have probably reached the point where we have optimised the front suspension as far as the regulations allow us to go.

"However, as for the rear suspension, there are some major changes. We have completely redesigned that area to improve road handling by using the dynamics of the suspension and saving weight. The work there we've done there is not really something I want to go into in any great depth. All I can say is that it is very different to what we had before."

Weight
"We wanted to save weight and just as importantly, distribute the weight to those areas of the car where we want it to improve balance and handling. We initially reviewed everything and examined the possibilities of reducing weight on every area of the Focus. As I team I think we have done that."

Body shell
"Both the body shell and roll cage are totally new. The cage has been designed to exceed minimum FIA safety requirements. It's one area of the car where we've increased the weight to improve driver safety.




The Focus already had a good reputation in this area but we took the decision that if we could make the car even safer for our drivers, then we should do so.

"The main area of danger in a rally car is from side impact accidents and we've tried to position the driver and co-driver as far inboard as possible by making the transmission tunnel narrower. The cage is further outboard of the cockpit and we've redesigned the side impact bars to improve crash protection there. We all know that rallying can be a dangerous sport and we have a responsibility to our drivers to make the cockpit area of the car as safe as we possibly can."

Engine
"Cosworth Racing has built a new two-litre Duratec R engine which has a significant weight reduction over the 2002 engine, which makes this the lightest rally engine the company has built.

"Revisions to the turbocharger have helped produce better response and more top end power and we have also redesigned the cooling package to improve efficiency. We should see cooler running temperatures on the hot rallies like the Acropolis and Cyprus."

[boi-alien]

i like how it looks, but i'm not a fan of that wing. i guess it's functional but it sure looks weird

[ACS-e36]

that wing looks gay:thumbsdow

[Mikko]

I think the wing looks very interesting. Working functional parts are always fascinating to see, especially new such things.

[Mikko]

Interior shot. Heheheh, cell phone holder... now where's the cup-holder? There actually is a holder for a bottle or similar of whatever liquid they want to drink while racing.

[Hipermax_d]

citroen and peugot are dominating the rally these days

[Ferio_vti]

Looks sweet, but the front lip looks a bit too low for a WRC.
hehe, they can do driveways during the off season.

[Cueman]

Now that McRae is no longer with Ford I don't have a good excuse to not cheer them on.

Martin has what it takes... and this new car is very exciting.

[hjr]

Originally posted by ninjak84
McCrae is with Citroen.

Ford can develope a 400lb rally car that does 0-60 in 1.2 seconds, but they're still fucked.
I don't think the Ford team will ever touch gold again, but I'm willing to watch and be proved wrong. :)

The car looks/sounds amazing though. I don't want to start a WRC argument.

well markko is really good this year, so i think that you may yet be proved wrong.

But its still a really hot car. I really like it. The wing is funky, but thats really not the point, it serves a purpose, something most street wings dont do.