From concept sketches, clay model to pre-production three door Fiesta-shell took only 14 weeks. Chief designer of Ford Europe, Chris Clements mentioned, "There are no plans as yet to build a road-going version, but we can never rule anything out." Obviously, Ford can't take a £65k (around $100,000 US dollars) rally car and produce an identical hot-hatch for around £16k ($25,000). But I think they'd be nuts not to use the sexy styling as a base for a Fiesta RS. He conceded the same had been said for the Rally Puma and StreetKa concepts, both of which became reality after massive public demand.

Note- Ford is using the Fiesta to be used in the 1600cc Rally class of Europe but this particular version is a concept that might pave way to a higher performing Fiesta for teams.

ENGINE
1600cc, 16-valve, Duratec engine; cast aluminium block and cylinder head, motorsport cams, valves and springs, modified ports, motorsport pistons, rods and crankshaft, lightened flywheel, rev limiter increased to 9000rpm, Arvin Meritor tubular 4-2-1 high-flow exhaust manifold, hi-flow motorsport catalytic converter and single silencer, 3in tailpipe with white ceramic coating.

To get the estimated 210bhp from the 1600cc Duratec 16-valve engine, Ford RallyeSport has fitted motorsport cams, valves, springs, pistons, rods and crankshaft. They've also added a high-flow exhaust manifold and downpipe with just one silencer and a motorsport catalytic converter.

TRANSMISSION
Hewland 6-speed, close-ratio, sequential gearbox with dog engagement gears, limited slip-diff, single cera-metallic clutch plate.

A single-plate, cera-metallic clutch transfers the power to the two front wheels through a close-ratio, fully sequential six-speed gearbox. There's also a limited slip-differential fitted to restrict the power being fed to the wheel with the least grip, helping the car grip the road.

BRAKES
Hydraulic handbrake, Alcon 355mm grooved & ventilated discs (front) and 265mm solid discs (rear), white ceramic-coated Alcon four-pot calipers with ventilated pistons (front) and two-pot calipers (rear), choice of motorsport pads to suit driver and conditions.

WHEELS & TIRES
8x18in magnesium forged wheels, Pirelli P-Zero 225/40 18 Tarmac rally tyres

15-spoke alloys are made from forged magnesium to save weight. They can be fitted with a variety of tyres, depending on the weather conditions and road surface.

SUSPENSION
Steel fabricated front subframe, custom machined aluminium suspension arms and uprights, track extended by approx. 70mm per side, adjustable gas-filled Dynamic coilover suspension.

The MacPherson strut setup at the front incorporates a
fabricated steel cross-member and anti-roll-bar, while the rear has a trailing beam system with an adjustable anti-roll-bar. Machined aluminium top mounts have been fitted all round, as have adjustable Dynamic gas-filled dampers.

BODYWORK
Standard Fiesta 3-door bodyshell, fibreglass arch extensions, front and rear bumpers, splitter and roof box, Ureol rear spoiler with cast aluminium strut, bonnet intake, custom wing mirrors, laser-cut stainless steel grille, Focus ST headlight units with mock air intakes replacing the indicators, sprayed in Machine Silver and Magnum Grey, with Ford RallyeSport 'Blue Dimension' airbrushed graphics.

The track's 70mm wider each side than the standard Fiesta's and it has fibreglass arches, bumpers and front splitter. The headlights have mock air intakes where the indicators used to be, and a large intake has been fitted into the bonnet. The rear spoiler's made from Ureol, a synthetic material, and is mounted via a cast aluminium strut that fits into the aperture where the high-level brake light normally sits. Road-legal versions could incorporate the brake light in the spoiler.

INTERIOR
Floor-mounted adjustable pedal block, Sparco seats, standard Fiesta dash, modified console, electronic stack display, navigator display replaces glovebox, full steel roll-cage, fibreglass doorskins, Sabelt safety harnesses, plumbed-in fire extinguisher, spare wheel in rear floor, manufacturer's spare wheel well fitted with battery, jack, first aid kit and fire extinguisher, wheel gun mounted in passenger footwell, fuel filler mounted internally.

FIA-approved Sparco seats, race harnesses, a plumbed-in fire extinguisher and an integral steel roll-cage that makes the chassis more than twice as stiff as its Puma predecessor. To optimise the car's centre of gravity, the seats are fixed lower and further back than the on the road-going Fiesta, and the pedal block moves out to suit the driver.

Expected performance specifications from Ford:

Max power - 200+bhp
max speed - approx. 140mph
0-60mph - sub 6 seconds