Radical Ford Rally Concept Could Preview a Return to Racing

In 2012, Ford officially withdrew itself from the World Rally Championship to explore bigger and better things. It was definitely a tough blow for whatever WRC fans still lingered. But in designer Ken Nagasaka’s eyes, there might still be hope for a Ford WRC team after all.

With his new concept car — aptly titled the WRC Concept — he gives the world an idea of what a Ford rally team of the future could entail. No, it isn’t just a redone Focus or Fiesta, the concept is a modern take on winning Ford rally cars of past.

“I approached from three aspects,” says Ken. “Competition in WRC, consumers in the market, and applicability to video games. Those are necessary items to consider in order to achieve the goal.”
Taking those three factors into consideration, the idea was to essentially create the perfect rally car. A 1.6-liter turbocharged engine would sit in the middle, and all-wheel-drive would keep the car firmly planted on the ground.

As for the design — all those radical angles would give the car loads of downforce. Not to mention the many openings found at the front of the car, sending airflow back around the side and rear panels.
The design is both efficient and eye-catching; two key points Nagasaka wanted to highlight in his concept.

It won’t be making its way to production, but if you’re at the LA Auto Show, you can catch this small-scale rally car on display.