Clear the way for the new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2: Škoda Motorsport presents the successor to the Fabia Rally2 evo. The new rally model from Mladá Boleslav is based on the fourth-generation Škoda Fabia and follows on from the most successful Rally2 vehicle of recent years. Škoda Motorsport has developed a new engine for the Fabia RS Rally2, as well as improving the handling, powertrain and electronics and enhancing the safety features for the driver and co-driver. The new Fabia RS Rally2 has demonstrated its capabilities in a demanding test series on asphalt, gravel and ice as well as in a wide range of weather conditions and is ideally equipped to claim victories and titles in the hands of customer teams in the future. The all-new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 is a rally vehicle for the Rally2 category and benefits from the best-in-class aerodynamics and exceptionally stiff bodywork of the production model. Compared to the successful predecessor model, the Škoda Motorsport team have optimised the powertrain in particular, as well as the electronics, safety and handling. The engineers also developed a new 1.6-litre turbocharged engine based on the 2.0 TSI from the EA888 engine series, which is used in the RS models, among others. Škoda’s new motorsport paintwork highlights the close ties to the sporty RS series models; the Hyper Green colourway echoes the OCTAVIA vRS and the ENYAQ Coupé iV vRS.
The new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 brings the emotive design language of the fourth-generation Fabia to the international racing tracks. The new rally vehicle benefits from the production model’s aerodynamics. Škoda Motorsport developed a highly efficient aerodynamic package based on the Fabia’s best-in-class drag coefficient. As a result, the new Fabia RS Rally2 generates almost twice as much downforce as its predecessor. Škoda Motorsport’s new Hyper Green paintwork ties in with the sporty vRS series models OCTAVIA vRS and ENYAQ Coupé iV vRS. The new Fabia RS Rally2 rally model translates the fourth-generation Fabia’s design language to the world of motorsport. In addition to the longer roof spoiler with lateral finlets, the rally model also features the production vehicle’s flat, sharply contoured front headlights that extend right up to the large, hexagonal Škoda grille. The front and rear lights set visual accents with LED technology. The Rally Fabia also differs from its production counterpart with significantly wider front and rear wings and numerous air outlets on the body. The Hyper Green paintwork references Škoda’s vRS family, echoing the OCTAVIA vRS and the ENYAQ Coupé iV vRS.
Michal Hrabánek, Head of Škoda Motorsport, says: “Standing still means going backwards, and this is especially true in motorsport. That’s why, in developing the new Fabia RS Rally2, we applied the experience we gained from the predecessor model and optimised every detail. The aim was to improve the most successful rally car in the world. I’m proud of the entire Škoda Motorsport team who have pursued this goal with great dedication. I would also like to thank our colleagues in Series Development; the fourth-generation Fabia provided us with a perfect basis for the Fabia RS Rally2.”
To prepare the new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 optimally for action on the rally track, Škoda Motorsport subjected the newcomer to extensive tests on asphalt, gravel and snow for almost a year. This included trials in the Czech Republic, France, Italy, Croatia, Germany, Belgium and Spain, as well as under extreme winter conditions in northern Finland since the summer of 2021. Škoda Motorsport has developed a new engine for the Fabia RS Rally2 and further optimised the time-proven powertrain. The Fabia RS Rally2’s 1.6-litre turbo engine is based on the 2.0 TSI from the EA888 engine series with an output of around 214 kW (289 hp). The maximum 430-Nm torque is distributed across all four wheels via a 5-speed sequential gearbox and two differentials.
The Rally2 regulations of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) stipulate a 1.6-litre turbo engine based on a production engine for vehicles in this category. When developing the powertrain for the new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, Škoda Motorsport opted to base it on the 2.0 TSI with an integrated exhaust manifold from the EA888 engine series, which is used in the brand’s RS models, among others. Compared to the Fabia Rally2 evo engine, the newly developed four-cylinder features redesigned intake and exhaust ports, optimised pistons and combustion chambers, variable valve timing and a redesigned lubrication system for a significantly enhanced combustion process. The engineers also revised the exhaust system, which has a new turbocharger, and developed an innovative intercooler and cooling circuit with greater cooling capacity. The Fabia RS Rally2 also features new engine management software. The diameter of the air restrictor is 32 millimetres, in line with the FIA’s technical regulations for the Rally2 category. This translates to an engine output of around 214 kW (289 hp) and a maximum torque of 430 Nm.
Power transmission via five-speed gearbox and two differentials across all four wheels. The sequential 5-speed transmission, specially designed for rally use, enables the driver to change gears in milliseconds using the gear stick alone. Although the Fabia RS Rally2 has a mechanical clutch, it is only used for starting, parking or when driving slowly. For optimum acceleration on tight, winding rally stages, the Fabia RS Rally2 has a relatively short gear ratio, offering a top speed of around 200 km/h (124mph). The Fabia RS Rally2’s drive concept differs considerably from the production model, not least due to the all-wheel drive. Since the FIA’s technical regulations prohibit the use of electronic driving aids to improve traction, only mechanical differential locks on the front and rear axles are allowed; an additional centre differential is not permitted. The separating clutch between the front and rear axles, which is activated when the handbrake is applied, assists when turning into bends on the rally track. The suspension features MacPherson struts on both axles, which are designed to handle extreme loads.
Škoda Motorsport has incorporated a host of components optimised for rally use in the new Fabia RS Rally2. A special braking system and a precisely balanced chassis deliver valuable tenths of a second on the track. The roll cage, consisting of 35.8 meters of steel tubing and a specially protected fuel tank, ensures a high level of safety on board. In addition, the electronics and controls meet the exact requirements of the driver and co-driver during a rally. Some of the components used in rally vehicles differ significantly from their counterparts in production vehicles. Instead of having up to nine airbags and numerous electronic assistance systems like those found in the production Fabia, the new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 relies purely on mechanics in many aspects. It also features specialised components, such as a roll cage and specially protected fuel tank. Unlike the production Fabia, the rally version only uses sensors for engine management and displaying the brake pressure, steering wheel position and fuel. The sensors merely provide information; in contrast to the production model, they do not perform any control functions. Only the engine control unit uses sensor data to ensure that it functions optimally in all driving modes and various weather conditions.
