|
|
Skoda Fabia WRC Colin McCrae
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
The Škoda Fabia is a small 5-door hatchback built by Škoda Auto and is the first model to use the VW Group's A00 platform, which it shares with Volkswagen's Polo and SEAT's Ibiza. It replaces the Felicia, which was discontinued in 2001. The car is also available in estate or saloon styles.
The range starts with the 1.2 6v Classic (which is cheaper than Volkwagen's smaller 3-door 1.0 Lupo) to the 1.9 PD TDi vRS.
The Fabia was launched in 2000 with an array of engines, body styles and trims. The Fabia is available in hatchback, estate and saloon models. The hatchback most closely resembles Volkswagen's own Polo, and is by far the most popular model. The estate has proved rather popular in its own right, despite estates based on smaller cars not being globally popular. The saloon variant is a classic three-compartment Limousine with a protruding boot. The saloon is much less popular than the other two body styles, especially in some markets where saloon cars are not popular, such as the United Kingdom. The Fabia will cease to be produced in December 2006
Part of the Fabia's success is the fact that all of its mechanical parts are developed by or in conjunction with Volkswagen, but are offered in a package that is priced to undercut other models in the Volkswagen Group. The only trace of non-VW Skoda left in the Fabia is the 1.4 8v "MPI" Engine, which was a modification to Skoda's own 1.3 engine, and was used in pre-Volkswagen Skodas such as the Favorit.
MPI (Multi Point injection) is a term used by Skoda to differentiate from 16v Models and (in the case of the Octavia) FSI engines. The 75BHP version of the 1.4 16v was only mated to Volkswagens 4 speed automatic transmission with fuzzy logic operation until the addition of earlier sport models which mated it with a manual transmission. The 1.4 8v was dropped in 2003 as it will fail to meet future emissions requirements. Its performance is heavily hampered by its old OHV (Pushrod) design. The Fabias overall performance and fuel consumption figures fall behind other city cars and small family cars as it is larger and heavier. However, the 1.2 HTP Engine was developed specifically for the Fabia and offers better performance and fuel economy, but later used in Volkswagens own Polo due to its high acclaim. HTP Stands for High Torque Performance.
Later in the Fabia's life the mid-range Comfort Model was dropped for the name Ambiente to fit in with the rest of the range. Other models include and included the Ambiente, Ambiente SE, Blackline, Silverline, Sport, Bohemia (Estate) and vRS. Various safety features and minor changes were made over time. Easy and Junior models are sold in Eastern European markets where budgets are lower. Some of these Fabias do not even have painted bumpers or gloveboxes. Also sold in such markets is the Fabia Praktik, which is a van version of the Fabia with the rear windows and seats removed. A lesser powered version of the 1.4MPI with just 60BHP is also sold in Eastern Europe.
In 2005 the Fabia received a facelift, with changed front fog lights and grille, slightly different rear lights, new steering wheel and revised specification levels. Also the vRS had its final gearbox ratio changed. Most importantly the Sport model was added, with the 75hp 1.4 petrol being offered with a manual transmission. This engine was quickly dropped for the 1.2 HTP, which was not as powerful but is a much more free revving engine giving a more sporty feel, the sport also had its specification changed to include red seat belts and sunset privacy glass from the B Pillar to the rear.
Again in 2006 the Fabia range shown at Geneva along side the new Roomster model will have minor specification revisions. These include a center rear head rest, a central 3 point seatbelt and an additional 4 bodywork colours. The 1.4 16v 75BHP Engine is to be replaced with a more powerful 1.4 16v 79BHP engine.
The range-topping Fabia vRS, while not the first diesel hot hatch, is the first exclusively diesel hot hatch, having no petrol equivalent. The engine is VW Group's 1.9 litre Pumpe-Düse Turbocharged-Diesel producing 96 kW (129 hp) and 229 ft·lbf (310 Nm) at 1900 rpm, with a six speed manual gearbox.
Official figures state 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes 9.5 seconds, but many motoring magazines have timed this to be less than 8 seconds. The in gear acceleration times are 50-70 mph in 5.6 seconds, quicker than BMW's 330i which needs 6.0 seconds. 20-40 mph in 2.4 seconds is as quick as the Lotus Elise 111R. Despite this the Fabia vRS can achieve better than 5.4 l/100 km (45 MPG US). The vRS was shown to be quicker than a similarly priced MINI Cooper around Top Gear's and Fifth Gear's test tracks.
The Fabia vRS was named the Diesel Car of the Year 2003 in the Scottish Car of the Year Awards.
Colin McRae MBE (born in Lanark, Scotland, 5 August 1968), son of successful Scottish rally driver Jimmy McRae, is the third most successful World Rally Championship driver of all time (in the currency of individual rally wins), second only to Carlos Sainz and Sébastien Loeb. He won the world driver's title in 1995, was championship runner-up in 1996, 1997 and 2001, and third in 1998. He helped Subaru to the World manufacturers' title in 1995, 1996 and 1997, and Citroën in 2003. He was awarded the title of MBE (Member of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II in 1996.
Colin began his rally career in 1986, piloting a Talbot Sunbeam. A regular competitor on Scottish Rally Championship events, he was soon making a name for himself with his speed and exciting style of driving. His driving style drew many comparisons to Ari Vatanen, the famous Finnish rally driver who Colin had always idolised. He soon progressed to a Vauxhall Nova, and then onto a Ford Sierra XR 4x4. His first WRC exposure was in the 1987 Swedish Rally behind the wheel of his Nova, and again in 1989, driving the Sierra and finishing 15th overall. Later in '89, he finished 5th overall at Rally New Zealand in a RWD Sierra Cosworth. 1991 saw Colin join the Prodrive Subaru team for the British Rally Championship. He was twice the British Rally Champion in 1991 and 1992, soon graduating to 'works' status at Subaru. He helped the Subaru Impreza to become a famous and much wanted car.
He won his first WRC rally in 1993, piloting the Prodrive-built Subaru Legacy in the Rally New Zealand, before aiding Subaru to a three-year sweep of titles, including one for himself in 1995 after a thrilling final round duel on his home event, with team-mate and double world champion Sainz. He later also won the 1998 Race of Champions.
After several years of varying success, Colin switched to the Ford team in 1999, behind the wheel of the new Focus rally car. This move was rewarded with two quickfire wins for the infant Focus WRC, on the Safari Rally Kenya and Portuguese rallies. However he was to struggle with reliability woes for much of the rest of that season, although later he did narrowly miss out on a second driver's title with the M-Sport operation in 2001.
With victory on the Safari Rally in 2002, McRae became the most successful World Rally Championship driver of all time, although Spaniard Carlos Sainz and Frenchman Sebastian Loeb have since overtaken him.
In 2003, McRae decided to part ways with Ford and sign with the promising Citroën team. However, the Scotsman could only muster seventh in the title race, with no rally victories. When hopes for a second stint at Subaru evaporated — with the Japanese marque signing young talent Mikko Hirvonen to partner 2003 World Champion Petter Solberg — he was subsequently left on the sidelines for 2004. Although not officially retired, McRae opted to take some time off from WRC and pursue other interests during his 'gap year', such as piloting a Nissan truck in the Paris Dakar Rally. He also contested the Le Mans 24 Hours.
As of 2004, he has participated in more than 120 WRC events. He has been teammates of such drivers as Carlos Sainz, Richard Burns and Ari Vatanen, among others. After a year-long absence from the sport in 2004, McRae made his return in a works Škoda Fabia WRC on the following season's Wales Rally GB, albeit on a strictly one-off basis. He netted seventh place in a car widely believed uncompetitive in WRC circles. However, his hard-fought result was overshadowed by the tragic death of fellow British competitor, Markko Martin's co-driver, Michael Park - the sport's first such death in more than a decade. Then came his remarkable bid for second place on his return in Australia, agonisingly dashed by clutch woes three stages from the finish. Meanwhile, McRae is believed to be on the lookout for the chance of a full-time return to the sport for 2007, following the Škoda works team's withdrawal from the WRC for the 2006 season, the team for whom he was likely to drive for 2006, along with perennial co-driver Nicky Grist. Colin will be competeing for Subaru in the first live televised American rally in Los Angeles on Sunday 6th August as part of the X-Games.
On Saturday, August 5, Colin and co-driver Nicky Grist finished 2nd in the Super Special Rally in the X Games. With 2 turns to go, Colin flipped the car. The car rolled back over and he finished the race.
McRae can call on familial links to rallying: father Jimmy and younger brother Alister are both multiple-time British Rally Champions, the latter currently in the World Production Car Rally Championship, which operates alongside the better known World Rally Championship, in which Colin has driven.
While his future is the subject of heated discussions and rumours, his influence on the popularity of WRC and rallying is unquestionable.
The other key McRae association is that of the world of computer games. Codemasters first released its Colin McRae Rally title in 1998, while version 2 was released in the year 2000 on Sony's PlayStation and PC. A third version found a wide audience on the PC and Xbox. Versions 04 and 2005 arrived in 2004, bringing an extremely enticing rally driving experience to gamers on all platforms, the latter also being ported to Sony's PSP and Nokia's N-Gage.
Colin McRae Off-Road™ is today revealed as the title for the next generation of the genre leading, 8-million+ selling rally racing series. Codemasters also confirms the game will launch for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PC simultaneously in 2007. A special edition for mobile phones will also be available from Codemasters Mobile.
1950's | 1960's | 1970's | 1980's | 1990's | 2000's | Club Cars | Australian Cars | Custom