Autoblog

Petter Solberg crashes through vineyard, into utility pole at French WRC event

Zach Bowman — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 12:01:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Europe, Videos, Celebrities

If one absolutely must crash out of professional rally event, one might as well do it with style. At least that seems to be the philosophy of Petter Solberg. The Norwegian World Rally Championship driver bowed out of the Rally of France Alsace on Saturday when he left the course, drove through a vineyard, rejoined the course briefly, drove through a second vineyard and struck a power pole. As if that weren't bizarre enough, the impact sent the pole crashing to the ground, narrowly missing spectators and sending power lines arcing across parked vehicles in the area.

Solberg started the day with his Ford Fiesta RS in fourth place overall, but ended his bout for the podium on the first stage. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the off. You can take a closer look at the scene in the video below. Trust us, you'll want to watch this one a few times.

Continue reading Petter Solberg crashes through vineyard, into utility pole at French WRC event

Petter Solberg crashes through vineyard, into utility pole at French WRC event originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 07 Oct 2012 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Could Ford's Fiesta RS outmuscle Focus RS production hopes?

Jeff Sabatini — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:01:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Hatchback, Ford, UK, Rumormill

While we wait patiently for the fall launch of the 2013 Ford Focus ST - and for Ford to decide whether the U.S. market is worthy of the three-door Fiesta ST - our English-speaking friends overseas are consumed with other worries. Like whether the next Focus RS will, in fact, be a Fiesta.

Autocar says Ford still hasn't decided what form the next generation of its ultrahatch will take, and that it is weighing the pros and cons of using both models for the next RS. On the one hand, the Fiesta is already being campaigned in the World Rally Championship with RS badging. The pint-sized hatchback is also available as a three-door (although not in the U.S.), a bodystyle that is reportedly viewed as more befitting an RS model. But the larger Focus will likely fetch larger profits, not to mention being more suitable for sale in the States, Autocar guesstimates.

Hey, at this point, we'll take either. Or both.

Could Ford's Fiesta RS outmuscle Focus RS production hopes? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford gears up with new Fiesta RS WRC livery

Noah Joseph — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:33:00 EST

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Ford, Misc. Auto Shows, Racing

Teams come and teams go from the World Rally Championship. But while this season will see the arrival of Volkswagen and Mini on the WRC stage as newcomers, one perennial challenger that will return is Ford.

Having replaced the long-serving Focus RS last season, Ford will carry on with the new Fiesta RS for another crack at the title it narrowly lost once again to Citroën last season. No fewer than twelve examples will be on the stage this season, but only two will be fielded by the factory-backed Ford World Rally Team, which has just revealed their new livery for the upcoming season at the Autosport International show in Birmingham, England.

Castrol returns once again as the main sponsor, its logo dominating the new color scheme which will be sported by returning five-time rally winner Jari-Matti Latvala (with co-driver Miika Anttila) and former champion Petter Solberg (with Chris Patterson). The latter replaces perennial runner-up Mikko Hirvonen, who left for Citroën this season. Check out the new livery in the high-res image gallery and the press release after the jump.

Continue reading Ford gears up with new Fiesta RS WRC livery

Ford gears up with new Fiesta RS WRC livery originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paris 2010: Ford Fiesta RS WRC ready to hit the dirt running

Chris Paukert — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Paris Motor Show, Hatchback, Ford, Off-Road, Racing

2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC - Click above for high-res image gallery

The FIA World Rally Championship is shaping up to be particularly interesting in 2011, and the new-for-2011 Ford Fiesta RS is a big reason why. The Blue Oval's latest dirt-spitting racer will contest its first race at Rally Sweden in mid-February, but the Fiesta S2000-based rally car made its debut this morning at the Paris Motor Show.

In typical WRC fashion, the blue and gray Fiesta RS is all gaping intakes, massive flares and skyscraping wings, and needless to say, it looks The Business. Motivated by an EcoBoost-branded 1.6-liter turbocharged four of undisclosed output, the four-wheel-drive RS will get a shakedown run on Spain's gravel roads next week, though Ford says it's already conducted about 3,000 kilometers worth of testing with various engines.

The new car, which supplants the Blue Oval's prior Focus-based WRC car, will be driven by Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen, along with Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila. Check out our spanking-new galleries below and pop past the jump for the official press release.

Gallery: Paris 2010: Ford Fiesta RS WRC

Gallery: Ford Fiesta RS WRC

Continue reading Paris 2010: Ford Fiesta RS WRC ready to hit the dirt running

Paris 2010: Ford Fiesta RS WRC ready to hit the dirt running originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Sep 2010 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford reportedly turning its back on production Fiesta RS

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:40:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Hatchback, Ford, UK, Rumormill

The Ford Fiesta RS has been canceled before - back in 2005 - and yet the rambunctious little hatchback lived to tell the story. Rumor has it that the hottest Fiesta has been canceled again, but these being changed times (and coming on the heels of news that the factory-tuned Fiesta ST has been canceled) it will be much more difficult for the even hotter RS to play the resurrection game.

If this news is true, the reasons for the RS being canned are the same as it was the time: meager profit potential. The Fiesta ST reportedly has a chance of being revived in 2012, but until then, it's apparently standard models for everyone.

[Source: EVO Magazine via 4 Wheels News]

Ford reportedly turning its back on production Fiesta RS originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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