Meet the 200bhp per litre Ford Fiesta R2

This punchy little thing is the Ford Fiesta R2. It’s a brand new rally car from M Sport, who you may note have just lifted the World Rally Championship with the help of now six-time champion Sebastien Ogier.

This R2 won’t compete at the same level, but M Sport says it’s heavily inspired by that title-winning car. Being a more junior car, it has a more junior drivetrain.

So it’s front-wheel drive, not all-wheel drive, while its engine is the same diddy 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo you’ll find in the road-going Fiesta. Indeed, M Sport says it’s based on the Fiesta ST-Line you can buy from the showroom.

It’s been tweaked a bit, mind, and now produces 197bhp – the same as the latest Fiesta ST hot hatch but from two-thirds of the engine capacity. That means it near-as-dammit produces 200bhp-per-litre, when a Bugatti Chiron manages 185bhp-per-litre. Yikes.

The engine is mated to a five-speed sequential gearbox, while the suspension comprises Eibach springs and Reiger dampers, which are adjustable in numerous ways to make sure you nail the car’s set-up depending on which surface of rally you’re competing in.

Those rallies will likely be in the FIA Junior WRC Championship, which this car will be the basis of. “The all-new Ford Fiesta R2 is a massive step forward,” says M Sport, “but the main philosophy remains – giving the stars of the future the perfect platform with which to hone their skills and show what they can do in the early stages of their careers.”

Want to be the next Seb Ogier? This car might be your best bet. A fully built R2 costs €64,990 plus VAT (around £70,000) or you can save a bit of cash by sourcing your own Fiesta and converting it with a €37,900 plus VAT (£40,000) kit.