Škoda Fabia RS Rally2: Continuing the legacy

› Competition car for the FIA World Rally Championship and national series around the world is based on the fourth-generation Škoda Fabia road car
› Škoda Motorsport developed engine delivering around 214 kW (289 hp) in combination with 5-speed sequential gearbox and four-wheel drive
› Optimised chassis and improved weight distribution
› Roll cage fabricated from chromium-molybdenum steel and energy-absorbing foam in front doors further enhance safety for the crew
› Fabia RS Rally2 presented on ice for the first time to media representatives at the 4×4 Winter Experience media launch event in Sweden from 16 January

Mladá Boleslav, 17 January 2023 – The purpose-built rally car Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 is equipped with numerous highlights. The four-wheel-drive car represents the latest version of the most successful car for the worldwide established Rally2 category. Škoda Motorsport has already delivered several units of the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 to customer teams, with its FIA World Rally Championship debut set for the Monte Carlo Rally (19 22 January 2023). Media representatives will be seeing the Fabia RS Rally2 for the first time on ice in Sweden on 16 January.

Based on the fourth-generation production Škoda Fabia, the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 continues the legacy of its remarkably successful predecessors on rally stages around the world. Škoda Motorsport developed an engine from scratch and further optimised the proven powertrain. The Škoda Fabia RS Rally2’s 1.6-litre turbo engine is derived from the 2.0 TSI production powerplant (EA888) with an output of approximately 214 kW (289 hp). The maximum 430 Nm torque is distributed across all four wheels via a 5-speed sequential transmission and two differentials. Specially designed for rally use, the transmission enables the driver to change gears manually in milliseconds.

The Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 also benefits from enhanced weight distribution and balance of the production Fabia thanks to the wider body and longer wheelbase. Compared to its predecessor, the new car guarantees significantly better handling especially with improved stability at high speeds. During build-up from a body-in-white, the chassis and other components of the road model are strengthened to meet the specific requirements of rallying.

With the all-new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2, the engineers at Škoda Motorsport implemented a host of safety features to protect the crew even better in the event of an accident. The FIA approved roll cage is made of 35.8 metres of high-strength chromium-molybdenum steel, consisting of longitudinal, transverse and diagonal tubes in the door openings, under the vehicle roof, around the windscreen and behind the seats. In addition, the Fabia RS Rally2 features an energy-absorbing foam structure between the outer door skin and the interior, as well as door panels made of composite materials. Special racing seats, six point harnesses and personal equipment, including the mandatory head-and-neck support system (HANS) on the helmet with restraint straps also contribute to mitigating any impact forces.

The improved handling also impressed Škoda Motorsport’s development drivers, who tested the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 on tarmac, gravel and snowy roads under temperatures ranging from scorching heat to freezing cold. One of them was Norwegian Andreas Mikkelsen, WRC2 Champion of 2021 at the wheel of a Škoda Fabia Rally2 evo. Together with navigator Torstein Eriksen, Mikkelsen drove the Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 to victory on its competition debut during Lausitz-Rallye in Germany.

“The new Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 definitely is faster than its predecessor and is also a step forward in terms of reliability.”

Andreas Mikkelsen

Škoda Motorsport has already started delivering the Fabia RS Rally2 to customer teams. The competition debut in the FIA World Rally Championship is set for the season-opening Monte Carlo Rally (19-22 January 2023). From 16 January, the new Fabia RS Rally2 is being presented on ice to the media for the first time. Journalists will also have the opportunity to try out the rally car in co-drives as part of the 4×4 Winter Experience media event in Sweden.

The Škoda Fabia WRC, which debuted in March 2003, was the first rally version of the brand’s popular model. It succeeded the Škoda Octavia WRC in the top category of the FIA World Rally Championship. Based on the second‑generation Fabia, the Škoda Fabia S2000 gave its competition debut at the Rallye Monte-Carlo in early 2009. After achieving numerous titles worldwide in the Super 2000 category, Škoda Motorsport presented the Fabia in Rally2 specification as next step. The conceptual basis for the Škoda Fabia Rally2 was the third-generation production Fabia. In 2019, Škoda Motorsport launched the Fabia Rally2 evo, an upgraded version of its successful model. The Škoda Fabia RS Rally2 followed in 2022.