Skoda will give motorsport fans a treat at the Essen Motor Show in late November and early December by giving the Fabia R 5 concept rally car its first public airing.
Due to be homologated in mid-2015, the R 5 Concept Car is powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to a sequential five-speed gearbox, with MacPherson strut suspension. To conform to the regulations, it will weigh at least 1,230kg, and a number of top Skoda drivers are said to have been involved in its development. The hope is that it will be as successful a competition car as the Fabia Super 2000 it will supersede, with customer racing teams showing a lot of interest.
Skoda's motorsport director, Michal Hrabánek, said: "The world premiere of the Fabia R 5 Concept Car gives an insight into the future of rallying at Skoda."
Dr Frank Welsch, Skoda's board member for technical development, added: "The highlight of Essen is the Fabia R 5 Concept Car, which gives a first insight into our new rally car. The concept is based on the new Fabia, which demonstrates more emotion than ever before, in both the hatchback and estate versions."
The Essen Motor Show is the largest trade fair for tuning, motorsport and sports production vehicles in Germany. It takes place from November 29 to December 7.
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Also at Essen will be the Fabia Estate, getting its first outing in Germany, the Octavia RS, Monte Carlo special editions of the Rapid Spaceback, Yeti and Citigo and three show cars - the Yeti Xtreme, the CitiJet and the Rapid Spaceback Red & Grey Collection.