FIA reveals first look at WRC 2027 cars
by Tom Howard · AutosportFirst designs released of new-look WRC 2027 cars have been unveiled
The FIA has offered up a first look at the World Rally Championship cars of the future, built under the new technical regulations that will come into force from 2027.
The new technical regulations, which will span a 10-year period, are designed to be more affordable and flexible in a bid to attract new manufacturers and teams to the series. Cars will be built to a €345,000 cost cap, deliver approximately 290 horsepower, comprise of a space frame chassis and utilise some Rally2 componentry.
The cars will be powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged internal combustion engine, paired with a four-wheel-drive powertrain and a five-speed gearbox. The suspension is set out in a double wishbone configuration, with braking and steering systems derived from current Rally2 specifications, delivering a cost-effective, high-performance package suited to the WRC.
Initially the WRC27 cars will compete alongside Rally2 machinery in 2027, with the FIA ensuring there is parity between the two vehicle types by adjusting vehicle weights before the season if necessary.
The WRC27 car is built around a tubular frame chassis, with a minimum length of 4100mm, a maximum length of 4300mm, a maximum width of 1875mm, a minimum wheelbase of 2600mm and a minimum height of 1270mm.
Its tubular frame safety cell, building on the structure introduced with the 2022 Rally1 cars, delivers high levels of protection while reducing overall complexity and cost. Compared to previous generations, the structure offers significant improvements in intrusion reduction and energy absorption across frontal, side, roof and rear impact scenarios.
While the initial target configuration for the first years of the regulations cycle is a sustainably fuelled 1.6-litre turbocharged internal combustion engine, the framework allows for the future introduction of alternative powertrains. A date for this is yet to be defined.
Under these regulations entrants will also have the flexibility to accommodate various body types, ranging from saloons to hatchbacks, cross-overs and completely bespoke designs, that will fit over an already defined spaceframe chassis. The renders unveiled by the FIA reveal a variety of body type concepts that could be adopted.
A first look at the concept follows Tuesday’s announcement of a brand-new constructor that will join the WRC with a car developed under the 2027 regulations.
Belgium-based operation Project Rally One revealed its plans to join the WRC in 2027, becoming the first tuner to confirm its proposed entry into the championship. The chassis design and build have been completed, with prototype assembly now underway. Once finalised, the car will begin a comprehensive development campaign, including more than 6,000km of gravel and asphalt testing ahead of its homologation, with the first shakedown scheduled for spring of 2026.
The Project Rally One team led by the experienced motorsport engineer Lionel Hansen, former FIA rally director and Citroen WRC boss Yves Matton and Prospeed will join Toyota, who are also currently developing a WRC27 car.
“The WRC27 regulations represent a pivotal moment for the FIA World Rally Championship,” said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
“They establish a framework focused on cost control, sustainability and accessibility, while safeguarding the performance and technical challenge that define rallying at the highest level. The WRC27 Rally1 concept shows how these principles come together and set the direction for development of the next generation of rally machinery.”
FIA Deputy President for Sport, Malcolm Wilson added: “Flexibility is a defining feature of the WRC27 regulations. The new Rally1 concepts that we have released have been designed to these specifications, demonstrating how that flexibility can be applied in practice. They highlight, for the first time, the range of technical solutions and vehicle concepts that can be developed within the framework, while still meeting the demands of top-level FIA World Rally Championship competition.”
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- The Autosport.com Team