Fancy doing some sideways dirt rallying action in a Ford Fiesta EcoBoost? And we’re not talking about the purpose-built WRC car here; we’re talking about the 1.0-liter EcoBoost. Well, your wish has just been fulfilled as Ford Motor Company announced that its 1.0-liter 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine equipped Fiesta has just been homologated by the FIA in the R2 rally class.

Developed by M-Sport with support from Ford, the Fiesta R2 is the first car homologated by the FIA to compete in the R2 rally class which allows 1.0-liter turbocharged cars to compete. The Fiesta R2 features a significantly revised race-bred transmission, brakes, and suspension.


Launched in 2010, the first-generation Fiesta R2 was the first-ever “global rally car” and was designed as the first step in Ford’s Ladder of Opportunity which aims to provide young drivers with the perfect platform to launch their rallying careers. The natural progression is for a R2 class driver to get promoted to R5 and then eventually to the WRC. Coincidentally, the Fiesta competes in all of these three classes.

The Ford Fiesta R2 will make its debut at the Rally de Portugal in May.