After getting successfully homologated by the FIA, the new Skoda Fabia R5 is now ready for international level competition in which, the company’s officials believe, it is going to surprise the rivals by how good it is. As the successor to the Fabia Super 2000, the R5 has some big shoes to fill.

Complying with the latest FIA rules regarding the weight and engine size of World Rally cars, Skoda Fabia R5 is powered by a 1.6-litre turbo engine and weighs around 1,230 kilograms. The power, which should be around 300 horsepower, is delivered to all four wheels via a five-speed sequential gearbox and McPherson struts.

The car went through a number of highly rigorous tests and evaluation as part of the FIA homologation process. Professional drivers put the Fabia R5 through its paces during a 10,000 km test drive on a wide range of roads and conditions, including in the Czech Republic, Austria, Germany, Italy, France, Greece, Spain and Finland.

“We are delighted that the International Automobile Federation FIA has given us the green light. Now we can prove just how good our new rally car is in the race series,” said ŠKODA Board Member for Development Dr. Frank Welsch. “When working on the third-generation production Fabia, which enjoyed an extremely successful start, we incorporated some of the genes from our rally cars and developed the most emotive Fabia ever. Conversely, the production model now formed the basis for the new Fabia R 5.”