MINI coming back to rallies with the MINI WRC

At the 2010 Paris Motor Show is presenting the MINI WRC, the racing car that will mark the brands return to the FIA Word Rally Championship (WRC) in 2010. There has also been the confirmation that one of the drivers that will be behind its wheel will be Great Britain’s Kris Meeke.

The MINI WRC is powered by a 1.6-litre, four-cylinder Di turbo-charged engine and has already started testing at Prodrive’s rally track. The development of the MINI WRC has started back in 2009 and a concept version will be featuring in Paris.

“The Paris Motor Show is the perfect stage, on which to launch our MINI WRC,” says Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing.

“The response to our announcement that MINI will return to the world of rallying next year was very positive. The FIA World Rally Championship is the pinnacle of rallying, making it the ideal platform for demonstrating the competitive spirit of our brand. The development of the car is running on schedule, and the preparations for the world championship are in full swing. The MINI Countryman production model provided the ideal basis for our new world championship challenger,” adds Robertson.

In the 2011 World Rally Championship, the new MINI WRC will be participating in six of the 13 scheduled rounds and in 2012 the MINI will compete for the full season. Prodrive is also planning to make available customer versions to independent teams for use in the championship.

MINI will be willing to repeat with the MINI WRC the successes of the MINI Cooper S that became a legend after its numerous victories in Monte Carlo.

“MINI can look back on a successful tradition in rallying,” says Dr WolfgangArmbrecht, Senior Vice President Brand Management MINI. “The interest in motorsport among the present generation of MINI customers is massive. The WRC provides an excellent communications platform for the MINI Countryman,upon which the MINI WRC is based.”

Meanwhile, MINI and Prodrive have already announced the name of one of the drivers that will be racing the MINI WRC in next seasons WRC: Kris Meeke. Born in Dungannon (Great Britain) the driver first got known thanks to his title on the British Junior Rally Championship in 2002. Thanks to the support ad expertise of his long-term mentor and former rally world champion, the late Colin McRae, Meeke has built on his career. He had his most recent success last year with victory in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC).