VIDEO: Wales Rally GB Amazing In-Car

It was an absolutely belting classic Wales Rally GB and massive congratulations to the organisers for re-vamping the event, which attracted HUGE crowds and saw some amazing rallying action – dominated, as throughout 2013, by VW in their inaugural WRC season, who rounded off their record-breaking, historic year with a 1-2 podium with Sebastian Ogier and Yari Matti-Latvala. Incredible. We will be publishing a Wales Rally GB special very soon in Road Magazine, with all the thrills, spills and rally aches – but meantime, why not enjoy one of the stars of 2013... the impossible cool Andreas Mikkelsen in his VW Polo R WRC on one of the best, fastest, most slippery an tricky gravel stages of the event – SS12, Gartheiniog. Nine minutes of flat out, ballsy rally driving to showcase just how amazing that Polo R is, and why Wales Rally GB is so special and unique! And rising star Andreas' raw talent and speed.

NEWS: Hyundai i20 WRC Testing Mission Is On

Hyundai Motorsport are contuining their development of their fabulous new 2014-spec i20 WRC over the Summer and into Autumn, with a monster series of tarmac tests in France and gravel blasts in Finland (pictured), just the tip of the iceberg of their assault on the WRC.
Test drivers Bryan Bouffier and Juho Hänninen were both in action over a total of ten days with both drivers sharing duties on tarmac before gravel specialist Hänninen assumed control on his home turf.
The latest iteration of the i20 WRC car hit tarmac roads for the first time in the Vosges region of France from August 12 to 16 with the main objective of gathering experience and data on this terrain.
“For our first time with the 2014-spec i20 WRC on tarmac, we adopted a deliberately broad test plan with the main goal of defining the base set-up for that surface,” explained Team Principal Michel Nandan. “We completed good mileage with no major issues, and obtained valuable feedback from both Bryan and Juho, which will allow us to concentrate next on fine-tuning the individual components. Overall, it was a very positive tarmac debut.”
Bryan Bouffier added: “I think this test has given us a very good base from which we can develop further. The roads in the Vosges region allowed us to assess some key components and to identify the characteristics of the i20 WRC on tarmac. I’m very pleased with the behaviour of the car in the fast sections and when the road is bumpy. Of course, we will continue working on some areas but overall I find the car very well balanced and easy to handle.”
From the tarmac test, the team moved to Finland last week to tackle the fast gravel roads and the well-known jumps, which characterise Rally Finland, one of the most technically demanding rallies of World Rally Championship. With local hero Juho Hänninen behind the wheel, the test featured an upgraded version of the 2014-spec of the i20 WRC.
“In Finland we used an evolution of the 2014-spec car, different from the one which we used in France,” added Nandan. “We applied some changes to the shape of the body and during the test we worked on the aerodynamics of the car. The i20 WRC was fitted with a new aerodynamics package and we focussed our efforts in finding a good balance. We wanted to check that all aspects of the car worked properly at high speed, as well as on the jumps, which are extremely demanding. The car can reach extreme acceleration through these jumps so it is essential to study the behaviour of the car and all of its components upon landing. We’ve also tried different suspension and differential solutions to develop the best set-up for next year’s rally.”
Juho Hänninen commented: “I was positively surprised with the handling of the i20 WRC after the first run. When you go to Finland for the first time you never know what to expect; sometimes, it can be really rough and there can be a lot of work required on the suspension. In this case, though, it was really easy from the first day and we were able to work making only minor adjustments. The car reacted very well to every change we made throughout the five days. I felt that I could trust the car immediately and the feeling got stronger day after day.”
With test sessions planned almost every two weeks, Hyundai Motorsport now faces the busiest time of the development phase ahead of its entry into next year’s FIA World Rally Championship.
“With new features on the car on every test session there’s a lot of work to be done not only on the ground but also back at the factory in order to get the car ready. There’s a great team effort and everyone is doing his best,” concluded Nandan.

Team Road wishes all the team at Hyundai the very best in tests and hope they bring as much to WRC as VW have this year. Great to see some great diversity entering the WRC. 

Now come on Subaru! Mitsubishi! Nissan! ;-) 

NEWS: Wales Rally GB "Village" Success @ Cholmondeley Pageant of Power

Wales Rally GB's "village" – rammed with amazing WRC and BRC stars and cars – at last weekend's Cholmondeley Pageant of Power proved a huge success with the crowds.
The event gave rally fans "a taste of the excitement to come in North Wales on 14-17 November, at Wales Rally GB" – and details of the new course in North Wales and the lower ticket pricing.
Taking centre stage, was Colin McRae’s 1996 WRC Subaru Impreza (which we have featured in this issue of Road Magazine) and his 1999 Safari-winning Ford Focus. During his hugely successful career, McRae's outstanding performance whilst at the Subaru World Rally Team enabled the outfit to win the World Rally Championship (WRC) Constructors' title three times in succession in 1995, 1996 and 1997.
Also on display in the Wales Rally GB Village was Jari-Matti Latvala’s 2010 Ford Focus, in which he finished on the podium in Wales Rally GB that year, a newly launched 2013 Ford Fiesta R5 from M-Sport, and over 20 iconic Group B cars.
Fans at the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power wanting to take in the thrills of rallying from watching the on-track action, were treated to a Wales Rally GB demonstration on the 1.2 mile course on each day of the event. The driver line-up included Elfyn Evans, winner of the 2012 FIA WRC Academy (the one-make feeder series to the WRC) and British Rally Championship (BRC) stars Tom Cave, Benjamyn McKay and Alex Parpottas, all showcasing young British rallying talent.
Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of Wales Rally GB event organiser International Motor Sports, said: “It has been fantastic to see so many attendees at the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power visiting the Wales Rally GB Village. Rallying is such a unique form of motor sport, and one of the most spectacular to watch, which is why we are making every effort to ensure that this year’s Wales Rally GB is both easily accessible and affordable, for everyone.
A Wales Rally GB spokesman said: "This weekend we wanted to bring a slice of the action to all of those located near to North Wales, to truly demonstrate what Wales Rally GB, as the finale and only British round of the 2013 WRC, has to offer. We are continually trying to find ways to engage with our spectators, enabling them to get up close and personal with the current WRC and BRC stars and cars. In addition, we’ve had our new start and finish podium on display this weekend, along with some phenomenal historic rally cars. From the feedback we have already gathered, the Wales Rally GB Village, new to Cholmondeley this year, has been well received."
In less than five months time, Wales Rally GB, totalling 22 timed special stages and 196-miles (316kms) of fiercely fought competition over four-days, will be well underway from its new base in Deeside.
Prices of adult admittance to individual forest stages on the day have been reduced to £15* (from £20 in 2012) while Day Passes have been re-introduced providing multiple stage access for just £33* including the Qualifying Stage at Llandegla on Thursday morning. Moreover all adult tickets include a free programme priced at £7.50. The popular ‘Kids for a Quid’ scheme has been extended providing those aged between 9-15 years old with a four-day ticket giving access to all 22 stages for just £1*.
Those aged eight and under are admitted free. Though included in Day Passes, individual tickets for RallyFest Stages are also available priced at £25* with significant discounts available for families. The price for two adults and two children, for example, is £42* with an extra £1* for each additional child. Full details can be found on the official www.walesrallygb.com websites, now with a dedicated version optimised for mobile phones via www.walesrallygb.com/mobile/home.php.
For further updates follow Wales Rally GB on Twitter @walesrallygb, join the conversations on Facebook at www.facebook.com/walesrallygb or visit the website www.walesrallygb.com

And see our image gallery from the event on our Facebook page.

VIDEO: WRC Argentina Water Splashes

Discover how the WRC teams get around the unique engineering problems faced by the multiple, deep water splashes in WRC Argentina, set to take place May 1st-4th this week. See WRC for more.

NEWS: 2013 Wales Rally GB Moves North & Night Stages Return

Great news for Wales Rally GB fans – the 2013 event (November 14-17) will feature a brand new route, a new base (for the UK’s round of the FIA World Rally Championship), new HQ on Deeside and special ceremonies in Conwy and Llandudno on the stunning North Wales coastline. Plus, there will be a return to the popular night stages and family spectator stages – likely to be in the coastal towns, to draw in the crowds and involve the community. And the new, more compact route will also offer a wide range of tickets, to encourage spectating. 

Always a great, well respected event, but at risk of getting stuck in its ways down in South Wales, this is great news, we reckon. And organisers say the rally's new route – which will be announced here soon –  "will reinforce the legendary event’s position as one of the most challenging and attractive on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar." 

The UK's only WRC event has been based in South Wales since 2000 and the move comes after the recent announcement of an extended partnership with the Welsh Government and as a result of wide-scale consultation with manufacturers, teams, competitors and spectators. 

A spokesman said: "Highlighting the automotive industry’s importance to the Welsh economy, the rally’s Headquarters and central Service Park will be located on a new site being prepared alongside the Toyota Engine Plant on Deeside in Flintshire. The event’s ceremonial start will be hosted in Conwy on the Thursday evening with the finishing line celebrations in neighbouring Llandudno on Sunday afternoon." 

Four-days of competitive action will feature a more compact route with the majority of the timed Special Stages set in the classic Welsh forests. Adding to the overall appeal both night and family-friendly spectator stages are being reintroduced into the itinerary and fans will be offered a wider range of tickets at significantly lower prices than before. Full ticket details will be announced when the final route is confirmed but the pricing structure is being radically changed to cater for both traditional rally enthusiasts in the forests and new audiences expecting additional facilities.
"We have listened to what the teams and fans want in our determined efforts to create what we are confident will be not only one of the best rounds in the WRC but also a fitting finale to the entire 2013 world championship," explained Andrew Coe, Chief Executive of rally organiser International Motor Sports. 

"South Wales has provided us with a fantastic home for Wales Rally GB since 2000 but the move to North Wales has a number of significant advantages. Most importantly, perhaps, we are closer to the sport’s traditional heartlands, some iconic rally forests, as well as being within a short drive of some of the larger conurbations in the UK such as Liverpool, Manchester and the Midlands. Taking those factors into account, as well as our new ticket pricing policy which is designed to cater for both hardcore rally fans and a wider family audience, we are confident that the 2013 Wales Rally GB will be a highlight on the motor sport calendar."
Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Transport and Science, Edwina Hart, said: "This is exciting news for the Wales Rally GB and for North Wales. The event has always drawn the crowds in North Wales in previous years and I'm sure this move will refresh the event for spectators and competitors alike.
"The spectacular scenery and landscapes of North Wales will provide the perfect backdrop for Wales Rally GB, which will be the pinnacle for the UK domestic rally season and an exciting finale for the high-profile World Rally Championship this year.
"It also shows the Welsh Government's continued commitment to Wales Rally GB, which has significant links with the automotive sector in Wales. Wales is home to around 150 component and systems manufacturing companies and has 15,000 people employed in automotive manufacturing with an annual turnover of £3 billion.”
Cllr Graham Rees, Cabinet Member, Conwy County Borough Council said: "We’ve been working closely with the organisers of Wales Rally GB over the last few months to secure the return of this prestigious sporting event to Conwy County Borough, and we’re very pleased that Llandudno and Conwy have been selected to host this event. Motor sport is very popular and, along with a large number of supporters, can attract considerable economic benefits to an area. I’m sure it will be a great success."
Ticketing details and more information on a special pre-sale offer can be found on the newly redesigned official website www.walesrallygb.com.
Further announcements on the route and 2013 event will be made at a press conference in North Wales on 16-17 May with the Economy Minister, Edwina Hart.

Bring it on! We will be there to celebrate this great, revised and revitalised event... will you? 

See some images here.

NEWS: VW Motorsport Ready For Rally Sweden

After their amazing WRC debut in Monte Carlo last month, VW Motorsport head to Rally Sweden (7-10 February) this week, looking for another podium, on the only true snow rally of the year. Get your spiked tyres and snow boots ready folks!  

At the wheel of the all-new 315-hp (232 kW) Polo R WRC will once again be Sébastien Ogier/Julien Ingrassia (F/F) and Jari-Matti Latvala/Miikka Anttila (FIN/FIN) – the latter team looking to use those years of snow rallying expertise to take the home Scandinavian advantage. Only Sebastian Loeb ios the only no-Scandinavian to win the event, in 2006. 

The rally, with its headquarters in Karlstad and Service Park in Hagfors, represents a gruelling test for the drivers and the team’s technology: the rally cars are consistently pushed to their very limits, despite temperatures plummeting to between 10 and 20 degrees below freezing. The icy cold is no obstacle for the enthusiastic fans, however: armed with tents and camp fires, which they erect along the side of the route, they defy the conditions to cheer the wild drifts and huge jumps produced by their rally heroes. Another feature of the event is that the route for this iconic rally also takes the teams over the border from Sweden into Norway. 

"After a good start to the season, the entire team now heads to the next challenge, the Rally Sweden, fully motivated and full of confidence. However, everyone in the team is well aware that the good result achieved in Monte Carlo is not yet a true indication of where we lie compared to the opposition," said Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. "The Rally Sweden is totally unique. The speed on the ice and snow is very high. This is only possible with extreme studded tyres, which are only used once a year. However, every rally is a test for the team. The processes in Monte Carlo recently were top-class. We want to follow on from this in Sweden and to continue developing from rally to rally."
Initial forecasts are predicting temperatures of –10° Celsius for the weekend of 7 to 10 February. This will provide a stern test for the team at the nine scheduled services, and will put man and material through its paces during the 338.91 timed kilometres awaiting the Polo R WRC.
After a spectator stage in Karlstad on Thursday, the rally heads into the Hagfors region on Friday, where Saturday’s special stages are held to the east of the city. Special stages along the border with Norway are scheduled for Saturday. The stages are all similar: largely lined by walls of snow, which the drivers “lean on” every so often, the route takes the competitors at high speeds through forests and past frozen lakes.
2012 winner, 2013 “powered by Volkswagen” Jari-Matti Latvala said: "I really like the Rally Sweden. The event requires a very quick and flowing driving style on Swedish forest roads. There is nothing to criticise about the event – with one exception: it can get very cold there, with temperatures reaching as low as minus 20 or even minus 30 degrees. Up to now I have driven 500 kilometres on snow in the Polo R WRC. However, we will slot in another test day on snow before the Rally Sweden. The car works very well in these conditions. I am already very happy with the way it feels to drive. I have fond memories of the Rally Sweden, such as my very first WRC victory in 2008 and, of course, my win there last year. My goal for this season is to finish in the top five."
Sébastien Ogier, Polo R WRC #8, who came second on his first rally with VW said: "The season could hardly have started better for us. Heading to Sweden with 18 points to our name is a very nice position to be in. This allows us to relax a little. However, we are now faced with a new rally. Let’s see what we are capable of on this surface. It is hard to predict what awaits us there. We will have to wait until after the first few special stages. I really like the Rally Sweden. If the snow conditions are good, it is really good fun driving there. The average speed is pretty high, and the grip on studded tyres is fantastic. I just love pulling off big drifts with a rally car on ice."

Did you know ...
... the Rally Sweden was first held in 1950 and will be staged for the 60th time in 2013? Since 1950, only three years have passed, in which the “Sweden” did not form part of the World Rally Championship: in 1974 it was cancelled due to the oil crisis, in 1990 due to poor weather, and in 2009 when the FIA rotation system meant it was not included on the calendar.
 

... the “poor weather” that prevented the 1990 Rally Sweden from taking place actually refers to it being too mild? Back then, there was too little snow to stage a real “Sweden”.

... the Rally Sweden is a real home event for Scandinavian drivers? Only once has the rally, which is the only race on the calendar that is always held on ice and snow, been won by a man from outside Sweden, Norway and Finland. In 2004, Sébastien Loeb and his co-driver Daniel Elena (F/MC, Citroën) were victorious.

... Volkswagen consultant Carlos Sainz boasts a remarkable successful record at the Rally Sweden, with just one thing missing: a win? “El Matador” finished runner-up in Sweden on four occasions between 1996 and 1999, and also stepped onto the podium after finishing third in 2001 and 2002.

... the Volkswagen team is excellently prepared for the icy temperatures at the Rally Sweden? Taking the approach that layers are the best way to combat the cold, the mandatory team attire includes an outdoor jacket with a fur hood, soft-shell jacket, thermal underlayer, pullover, and polo shirt or team shirt. The team’s shoes are also completely suitable for use in wintery conditions.

... the organisers of the Rally Sweden present the “Colin’s Crest Award” for the longest jump over a crest on the Vargåsen stage, in memory of Colin McRae? Previous winners since 2008: Khalid Al Qassimi (UAE), Marius Aasen (N), Ken Block (USA) and Ott Tänak (EST).

... Volkswagen is also the official car of the Rally Sweden?

... the Rally Sweden is the first event of the 2013 season to feature two spectator stages, known as Super Special Stages? The 1.9-kilometre “Färjestadstravet” stage in Karlstad will be held twice on a harness racing track.

The number for the Rally Sweden: 1,300: As at all the rounds of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), the Volkswagen engineers can expect to be faced with a lot of analysis work at the Rally Sweden. Each car will record about 1,300 megabytes of sensor data at the “Sweden”. For comparison: that is the equivalent of about 230,000 A4 pages of pure text.

Current FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), Standings
Drivers’ Championship
1. Sébastien Loeb, 25 points;
2. Sébastien Ogier, 18;
3. Dani Sordo, 15;
4. Mikko Hirvonen, 12;
5. Bryan Bouffier, 10;

2013 Manufacturers’ Championship
1. Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, 37;
2. Volkswagen Motorsport, 18;
3. Abu Dhabi Citroën Total World Rally Team, 15;
4. Qatar M-Sport World Rally Team, 10;
5. Lotos WRC Team, 8.

VIDEO: WRC Monte Carlo 2013 Round-up

What a Monte Carlo Rallye – four days, 16 ace special stages and 425.93Km of drama in classic, tricky Winter alpine conditions! And what an incredible start to the 2013 season – mainly thanks to the injection of excitement the arrival of VW Motorsport and Sebastian Ogier/Jari-Matti Latvala gave in the new VW Polo R WRC. It not only looked amazing, but did the business – setting out its stall with an incredible (Ogier) win on SS1 (in VW's first ever WRC event!), and staking claim to an amazing second place, with Ogier driving the doors off the new car, to come in behind the amazing Sebastian Loeb, taking his unreal 77th WRC victory and 7th Monte Carlo Rallye win, by 1m39s in his Citroen Total Abu Dhabi DS3. And Dani Sordo in his Citroen DS3 WRC was third. Incredible! Roll on the rest of 2013 and the WRC. 

After a great Sebastian fight for first on day one and two, the final day was loaded with drama too, ending up with two stage cancellations – after three of the top seven – Evgeny Novikov, Jari-Matti Latvala and Juho Hanninen – crashed out in very slippery, icy conditions on the legendary Col de Turini. And you can see Jari-Matti Latvala's spectacular shunt in the video above. Ouch!
The cool, calm, collected and uber-talented Loeb said to WRC: "I’m always happy when I win, and Monte-Carlo is one of the most exciting rallies I’ve done. This one was really, really difficult. The conditions were extreme compared to what we have usually and winning wasn’t easy."
And the amazing Sebastian Ogier said to WRC: "I’m so happy, it’s like a victory for me. I’m a competitor and I’ve never been happy to finish second but this weekend it was really the target, and to start the season like this is amazing. I’ve been waiting for one year, I’ve done so many tests and it was frustrating sometimes, and now here we are with the Polo on the pace already."
Bring on Rally Sweden, the only true snow event of the WRC year, February 7-10th. We only wish Loeb was up for the whole year, not just four events – giving him the chance of 10 WRC crowns. But, I guess he's already proved he is the best rally driver of all time... awesome. 

VIDEO: Volkswagen Polo R WRC All Set For Rallye Monte Carlo WRC Debut

Finally, after years of development, months, 20,000 miles and 100 days of testing by the VW Motorsport team and dream team drivers, Jari-Matti Latvala and Sébastien Ogier (with seven WRC wins in total), the wait is almost over – the epic, historic Rallye Monte Carlo starts at 9am on Wednesday 16th January on the 45.27Km's of SS01, Le Moulinon. And we can not wait.  

Here's some footage of the car being tested in classic damp, cold, icy, snowy Monte conditions late last year, and it's looking good we reckon. Very good. Sure, both car and team have a lot to do and learn to catch up/keep up with the likes of Citroen and Ford, but we reckon the Dakar-victorious VW Motorsport team are set to make waves with their brand new Polo R WRC. Watch this space!
This epic rally will mark Volkswagen’s first ever season in the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) – in a brand new car with some 1,700 parts designed completely from scratch and 17 months of preparations, making its competitive debut. VW say: "The appearance of the Polo R WRC in the FIA World Rally Championship heralds a new era in motorsport for Volkswagen – and where better to make your debut than the legendary Rally Monte Carlo?"
"I cannot wait to finally getting going. The entire team at Volkswagen is looking forward to the WRC debut of the Polo WRC," says Volkswagen Motorsport Director Jost Capito. "World Championship rallies in the top WRC class are new territory for the team. Furthermore, the Polo R WRC has been developed from scratch, features a lot of innovativeideas, and will be making its competitive debut. The ‘Monte’ will give us our first indication of how we compare with the opposition – our rivals already have two years’ experience of the regulations that came into force in 2011, and have been driving in the WRC for many years. Our goal for the Rally Monte Carlo is to gain as much experience as possible and to finish with both cars."
Jari-Matti Latvala, Polo R WRC #7 driver said: "I can hardly wait for the season to get started. I may already have five years as a works driver in the World Rally Championship under my belt, but both the Volkswagen Motorsport team and the Polo R WRC are new to me. As such, I will be making my debut in two regards. The tests up to now have shown that the Polo R WRC is very reliable. This is probably the most important finding so far – and a good basis for future technical developments over the course of the season. I have already developed a good feeling for the car on asphalt and snow, which is a good sign ahead of the Rally Monte Carlo. It is greatfun driving the Polo R WRC. It is very stable and the driveability of the engine is also very good. I would like to get the season off to a good start at the ‘Monte’. The result is not the top priority yet, although I would obviously love to pick up some World Championship points."
Sébastien Ogier, Polo R WRC #8 driver, adds: "The ‘Monte’ is a very special rally. After all, it is my home rally. However, the season- opener near my home will be an extraordinary experience for the entire team, as it is the first rally with the new Polo R WRC. We have been working towards this moment with Volkswagen for over a year. We can hardly wait to finally get started. However, it is difficult to judge how we will compare to the opposition, as we have not yet raced against the other teams under competitive conditions. Making your debut in a world championship with a completely new car is a big challenge, particularly as the other manufacturers have several years more experience than we do. For this reason we must be patient and concentrate at first on reaching the finish without any problems. Experience shows that this is anything but simple at the Rally Monte Carlo, as anything can happen at this event."
Can VW Motorsport – responsible for wins on the epic Rally Dakar in 2009, 2010 and 2011 with the Race Touareg – make the Polo R WRC a winner from Wolfsburg?

Only time will tell. But we are really chuffed to see VW back in rallying and committed to WRC for the forseeable. It's great for the sport and sure to be good for the brand. We are hoping for a load of hot WRC-style road car spin-off specials to light up their range.
The Volkswagen Polo R WRC will compete in nine WRC rounds: Monte Carlo/France, Sweden, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Finland, Greece, France and Mexico. So, best of luck to all the VW Motorsport team in the Monte. Hear how they get on here and on their Facebook page.

Three questions for ... Jost Capito
1. If you could have chosen a rally for the Polo R WRC to make its debut at – would you have taken the Rally Monte Carlo?
"The Rally Monte Carlo is not only the most iconic rally on the World Championship calendar, but also the most difficult and complex. The surface alternates regularly between ice, snow, rain and dry asphalt, which can make the strategy difficult and tyre selection something of a lottery. We are obviously delighted that the Polo R WRC will make its debut at this highlight."

2. In Sébastien Ogier and Jari-Matti Latvala you have signed two very quick drivers. Who do you feel is the stronger?
"They are both equally strong. As a Scandinavian, Latvala grew up on gravel – however, he has made huge progress on asphalt in recent years. The same applies to Ogier, who also has what it takes to win on any surface. Both have seven WRC wins to their name. In the end it will come down to who performs best on the day to determine who is the quickest."

What goals does Volkswagen have for the 2013 season?
"We are aware that we will be up against strong opposition with decades of World Rally Championship experience. The Polo R WRC, on the other hand, is making its debut this year and the team also has a new look to it. As such, we have to set realistic goals. We want to make it onto the podium under our own steam in the second half of the year."

VIDEO: 2013 Polo R WRC Jari-Matti Latvala

Only a couple more days until we shut the Road office down for the year, and what better way to celebrate the Winter wonderland than looking to one of next years sure-to-be-star-cars, the VW Polo R WRC. VW back in world rallying. Great! And here's Jari-Matti Latvala showing off what it's capable of in the snow. How good does it look? How good is it going here? And better still, how good does that wastegate chatter sound? Awesome. Bring on WRC 2013.