Cumbria's M-Sport launches two new rally cars

M-Sport has launched the new Ford Fiesta Regional Rally Car (RRC) – a variant of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC - to customers at the Cumbria-based company’s testing ground at Greystoke Forest this week.

The new Ford Fiesta RRC is based on Ford’s Fiesta RS WRC which arrogated a podium clean sweep at the FIA World Rally Championship season-opener in Sweden earlier this year.

Both cars share the same DNA but the Fiesta RRC features a 30 mm engine restrictor and aerodynamic modifications to qualify for the regional regulations. The RRC is supplied as a WRC variant with a kit of parts to enable it to be changed over to WRC specification in six hours.

The Fiesta RRC is directed at rallying’s most experienced drivers and marks the next step for drivers in their career after the extremely successful Ford Fiesta S2000.

The car is built to comply with FIA regional rally rules and the versatility of the car lets it to compete in national championships in its RRC guise but also in the World Rally Championship in its WRC variant. The Fiesta MS1 will complement the Ford Fiesta R2 and turn out to be the first step in Ford’s ladder of opportunity.

The MS1 is intended as the initial step for drivers in global markets including the USA, China, India and South America. Facebook pages have been set up to watch the progress of the new Fiesta RRC and Fiesta MS1 as they contend in regional rallies throughout the world.

M-Sport Managing Director, Malcolm Wilson OBE, said:

“We are delighted to introduce the new Ford Fiesta RRC and the Ford Fiesta MS1 as both cars offer competitors more flexibility to help further their rallying career. M-Sport have been looking to expand the range of rally cars available to our customers and the latest additions have allowed us to provide two extra rungs to Ford’s ladder of opportunity.

The Fiesta MS1 offers drivers an introduction to rallying at an affordable level whereas the Fiesta RRC/WRC provides experienced drivers with the highest level of rally car but also includes the necessary components to convert it into a regional rally car. I look forward to revealing our new cars to the world rallying scene and to monitoring their performance in regional championships across the globe.”

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World's 'most efficient' electric car unveiled by Gordon Murray

Gordon Murray has unveiled an electric car he claims is the most efficient in the world.

The T.27 shares its design with the ultra-compact T.25 city car revealed last year, and uses the same innovative manufacturing processes to deliver a three-seater EV with a 100 mile real-world range.

Gordon Murray Design's new model gets a modified 33bhp electric motor mated to a single-speed gearbox. The T.27 is limited to 65mph, but is said to hit that speed in less than 15 seconds.

It will return that performance while using significantly less energy than its rivals. According to Murray's company, the Smart EV uses 29 per cent more energy per km, with the Mitsubishi iMiEV and Mini-E on 36 per cent and 86 per cent.

Like much of the designer's work, the secret here is the T.27's low kerbweight. Murray has delivered a realistic electric car which weighs in at just 680kg, including the normally prohibitively heavy battery.

On unveiling the car, Murray said: ''Lightweight is the most powerful tool we have in our armoury in the fight against emissions and fuel expenditure. This is true of all cars and especially so with electric vehicles.''

The T.27 is intended as another showcase of Gordon Murray Design's new iStream manufacturing method, and turning it into a production actuality depends on someone investing in the entire process.

That could just be a matter of time though, as the firm is said to already be in discussions with three interested parties.