Rallycross is rapidly growing in popularity and attracts more and more big players. The latest big name to join the party is former rally champion Mattias Ekstrom who will be competing against the likes of Tanner Foust, Jacques Villeneuve, and Sebastian Loeb with this EKS Audi S1 Rallycross concept.

To be eligible for the exciting half gravel-half tarmac, bumper to bumper racing – or rather door handle to door handle racing, seeing as the cars travel sideways most of the time – ESK Audi S1 is fitted with a 600 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine.

Special all-wheel-drive system and a sequential gearbox are also installed to allow the car accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 1.9 seconds, and take corners like a crab. A menacing body kit completes the modifications.

Even though they have put together what seems to be a top-notch contender with the EKS Audi S1 , Ekstrom prefers to look at their 2014 campaign as “research and development” phase. The ultimate goal of team EKS is to build the best Rallycross car in the world.

Via WCF