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2010 Ford Fiesta S2000

The highly-anticipated Ford Fiesta S2000 rally car has been unveiled at a launch ceremony at M-Sport’s Cumbrian base in the UK. The new rally car, the culmination of nine months’ hard work by the design and engineering team at M-Sport, was presented by M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson. Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe’s Senior Motorsport Manager was present as a special Ford guest during the S2000 launch.

The Fiesta S2000, M-Sport and Ford’s first global rally car, which will be eligible to compete in national rally championships around the world as well as the IRC and S2000 World Cup, is due for homologation in January 2010. However, it will make its public debut this weekend appearing as course car at the final round of the IRC series, the Rally of Scotland.

Invited guests were given an opportunity to get a close-up look at the exciting new car which has been designed by M-Sport’s award-winning Technical Director Christian Loriaux and his team led by Chief Designer Anthony Brinkman and Test Engineer Chris Gray.

2010 Ford Fiesta S2000

Continuing their close relationship with Ford, the team at M-Sport has worked in tandem with Ford’s Motorsport Technical Manager Mike Norton and the Ford small car design team that developed the acclaimed kinetic design of the Fiesta road car, to develop a dynamic and aggressive looking rally car.

The experience gained from developing the record-breaking Ford Focus RS WRC has been used by the M-Sport team to develop the Fiesta S2000 rally car while working within the new FIA Sporting Regulations which means that this car can be used by customers at both national and international level.

The Fiesta S2000 has already completed nearly 3,000 km of testing both in the UK and Europe and that extensive testing programme will continue into the start of the next year in readiness for the car’s competitive debut.

The Fiesta S2000 is the latest in a long line of rally cars produced as a result of the successful partnership between M-Sport and Ford, starting with the Escort Cosworth in the 1990s and moving on to the record breaking Ford Focus RS WRC and Ford Fiesta ST.

2010 Ford Fiesta S2000

It follows hot on the heels of M-Sport’s extremely successful two wheel drive Fiesta R2, which was launched earlier this year and has already taken class victories in rallies across Europe.

The arrival of the Fiesta S2000 means that together Ford and M-Sport offer a complete ladder of opportunity for rally competitors to graduate with Ford from national level right through to the WRC in Ford cars.

M-Sport Managing Director Malcolm Wilson said:

“Today is a very exciting day for us. This is the first global rally car for Ford and M-Sport, I really believe that we have produced a fantastic rally car and this launch is a big step to seeing it out competing in rallies. It’s the first time in five years that we have been able to offer a Ford rally car that can challenge for overall victory in national championships across the world.

“It is also the culmination of a huge amount of hard work not only by Christian Loriaux and his team, but by everyone who works at M-Sport. We have worked closely with Ford on this project, their best-selling road car, the new Ford Fiesta, has been a perfect base car and its award-winning styling and kinematics together with M-Sport’s expertise will surely make the Fiesta S2000 a huge global success.”

2010 Ford Fiesta S2000

M-Sport Technical Director Christian Loriaux said:

“It’s a fantastic feeling today to see the car actually launched to the world after all the hard work and testing behind closed doors. Everyone at M-Sport has had to pull together in order to get the Fiesta S2000 finished in such a short period of time and it has been a great team effort to get to this point so quickly.

“The design team, led by Anthony Brinkman and Chris Gray, has worked incredibly hard and the fact that we have been able to deliver the car to schedule is down in no small part to the commitment of the entire M-Sport team to the success of the project. We have made a very promising start in testing and I am more than pleased with the performance of the car so far; it will be interesting to see how the real pace of the car compares to the competition.”

Story by M-Sport Limited

2010 Ford Fiesta S2000 Gallery

2010 Ford Fiesta S2000 Video

 

In Detail

type Racing Car
built at Dovenby, England
engineers Christian Loriaux, Chris Gray, Anthony Brinkman
engine Pipo-Built Duratec Inline04
position Front Longitudinal
valvetrain 4 Valves per Cyl
displacement 1998 cc / 121.93 in³
power 208.8 kw / 280 bhp @ 8000 rpm
specific output 140.14 bhp per litre
bhp/weight 233.33 bhp per tonne
torque 260 nm / 191.8 ft lbs @ 6500 rpm
body / frame Unitary Steel Monocoque w/Composite Panels, T45 Roll Cage,
driven wheels 4WD
front brakes Brembro Ventilated Discs w/4-Piston Monoblock Calipers
rear brakes Brembro Ventilated Discs w/4-Piston Monoblock Calipers
front wheels F 45.7 x 20.3 cm / 18 x 8 in
rear wheels R 45.7 x 20.3 cm / 18 x 8 in
steering Rack & Pinion w/Power Assist
f suspension MacPherson Struts w/Reiger Damper Resevoirs, Anti-Roll Bar, Aluminium Uprights
r suspension MacPherson Struts w/Reiger Damper Resevoirs, Anti-Roll Bar, Aluminium Uprights
curb weight 1200 kg / 2646 lbs
wheelbase 2489 mm / 98.0 in
length 3958 mm / 155.8 in
width 1820 mm / 71.7 in
transmission M-Sport / Xtrac 6-Speed Sequential
tran clutch AP clutch
fuel capacity 80 litres or 21.12 gal.
key drivers Mikko Hirvonen
race victories 2010 Monte Carlo Rally