After all, the international rally could gain more vitality.
There was a very interesting rumor about the World Rally Championship.
Rally reporter Olivier De Wilde write in Belgian On the Autotrends websitethat as many as nine manufacturers have plans for a 2027 WRC car. The number sounds huge, because at the moment the migration is rather away from the rally peak.
According to De Wilde, the legendary Lancia will return to the WRC2 class next year and at the same time develop a WRC car in accordance with the rules of the royal class that will come into force in 2027. The reporter writes that Lancia’s WRC27 car is scheduled to run in the Monte Carlo Rally in 2028.
Skoda and Subaru are also said to be developing a WRC27 car. The Polish department of M-Sport is also interested in the same.
According to the supplier’s information, there are also different names on the table. Discussions have hinted at a body assembled by British sports car manufacturer Prodrive with a Dacia exterior, and there are also plans for a rally in Spain.
Hyundai, which now competes in the World Series, has announced that it will not bring a WRC car that complies with the new rules to the line in 2027. The brand is developing its WRC2 car and will apparently bring a new version of it in 2027 and 2028.
“Far From Dead”
According to De Wilde, some of the projects described in the story are just outlines, some are concrete plans, and in some of them the prototype of the car might be put together this year.
– The species is far from dead. –– Even if only five of these were built, the sport’s bright future would be certain, writes De Wilde.
The rally has experienced bad bumps recently.
Initially Kalle Rovanperä announced that he would leave the World Series after the current season. Last week also Hyundai’s Ott Tänak announced that he would withdraw from the World Series at least temporarily.