Volkswagen Testing Polo R WRC Car in Germany

Volkswagen has been testing the Polo R WRC car with former professional rally driver and Paris-Dakar winner Carlos Sainz in Trier, Germany, on the Rally Deutschland course. The car will officially enter competition in 2013. 

The Polo R WRC is all-wheel drive like all WRC cars with 300hp on tap. The current car is actually a test bed for the competition car. Volkswagen is testing engines, gearboxes and suspension parts for development into the race-ready car. 

"The car is still in an early stage but already feels very good. For the whole team, whether engineers, mechanics or drivers, it’s very important to get to know the first real car as early as possible and to test and continue to develop it," said Carlos Sainz. 

Volkswagen has been competing in the WRC since 1999. The team runs the Skoda WRC team and has fielded both the Fabia and Octavia rally cars.