Volkswagen announces WRC entry in 2013

Volkswagen management board member Dr Ulrich Hackenberg has announced that Volkswagen will be hitting the gravel in 2013 with the Polo R. The Polo R WRC as a factory commitment. In doing so, the Wolfsburg-based squad can build on structures which have been established over the past few years. The World Rally Championship is a new ambitious aim for the team that has won the 'Dakar' in the past three years.

Volkswagen is not new to rallying or the WRC. In 1986 Sweden's Kenneth Eriksson took a VW Golf GTi 16V to the Group A title. In addition, Volkswagen vigorously campaigned regional and national championships including the Asia Pacific Rally Championship and Australian Rally Championship with the likes of Simon Evans at the wheel.
The Volkswagen Polo R WRC will be powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged and direct injected four-cylinder engine outputting around 220kw (300hp).

No drivers have been named, although it has been widely tipped that 2003 World Champion and former Subaru works driver Petter Solberg is in the frame.