VW Rolls Out New 570-Horsepower Polo R Supercar For Rallycross

Volkswagen never made a Polo R… for the road, anyway. It did one for the World Rally Championship, but it shut that down last year. Yet here we have a new one.

Created for the FIA World Rallycross Championship, this new VW Polo R Supercar packs 570 horsepower and all-wheel drive – perfect for the kind of showboating spectacle for which rallycross has become known.

The front end looks more aggressive than last year’s car, and allows for both better engine cooling and more aerodynamic downforce. There’s a new rear wing at the back, adjustable for a greater range of setups. And the engine has been heavily revised as well.

“Volkswagen R has always drawn inspiration and passion from motor racing,” said division chief Jost Capito. “We will now actively build on these qualities in close cooperation with our colleagues at Volkswagen Motorsport and the PSRX team. The FIA World Rallycross Championship will be really exciting and we are looking forward to working with our partners.”

VW unveiled the new rallycross machine at its Autostadt campus in Wolfsburg. But it’ll be up to Petter Solburg’s RSRX Volkswagen Sweden team to run it in the championship. Fortunately they’ve lined up top talents to manhandle it around those tight tracks, with defending champion Johan Kristoffersson set to take the wheel. The season kicks off in Barcelona a little under a month from now.

“There is no question about it, the new season promises to be very exciting. The opposition will do everything in their power to take our title,” noted Volkswagen Motorsport director Sven Smeets. “Our goal is obviously to provide Johan and Petter with a good car, which will allow them to challenge for the world title. I am confident that we will achieve this, and that the new partnership with Volkswagen R will give us even more power.”