This is what the WRC27 cars in the World Rally Championship will look like

The FIA has released the first images of the WRC27 Rally1 concept cars, which define the visual appearance of the World Rally Championship cars from 2027 onwards. The renders show different applications of the regulatory framework approved by the World Motor Sport Council in 2024, following consultations with teams and manufacturers. The FIA set maximum size limits, but the exact shape of the bodywork is left to the discretion of each Constructor, who can design a car that resembles a street model or create a completely new prototype.

The different published renders demonstrate that range of possibilities. Each design meets the same specifications but looks different, illustrating the flexibility of the regulatory framework. Malcolm Wilson, FIA Vice President of Sport, noted that the concepts show for the first time the various solutions and designs that can be developed within the same regulations.

Photo By FIA

The tubular safety cell forms the structural core. The FIA developed this component through simulation and impact testing, offering protection in frontal, side, top, and rear scenarios with less complexity than previous generations. The standardized structure reduces development costs for all participants.

Regulation Specifications

The WRC27 regulations state that cars will use a 1.6-liter turbocharged internal combustion engine producing around 290 horsepower. The four-wheel drive system will be paired with a five-speed gearbox. The suspension will work in a double-wishbone configuration, with brakes and steering derived from current Rally2 specifications.

The initial configuration will be pure combustion with sustainable fuels, but the regulatory framework allows for the future introduction of alternative systems like hybrids or electric. The FIA designed the regulations with flexibility to adapt to different propulsion technologies without needing to change the base structure.

The dimensions are defined: minimum length of 4,100 millimeters, maximum of 4,300 millimeters, maximum width of 1,875 millimeters, minimum wheelbase of 2,600 millimeters, and minimum height of 1,270 millimeters. Within these parameters, each Constructor can create different designs.

Photo By FIA

Aerodynamic devices have been simplified to reduce development costs and complexity. The regulations eliminate free development areas that existed in previous generations.

Between 2017 and 2021, the WRC used World Rally Cars with wide aerodynamic freedom and few restrictions. Development budgets grew year after year. Only Toyota, Hyundai, and M-Sport sustained factory programs. Citroën's departure at the end of 2019 revealed a problem: the championship depended on a handful of large manufacturers, and there were no ready candidates to replace them. Private teams had disappeared from the top category because entry costs were too high. The FIA and the promoter began working on regulations to reduce that dependency.

The Rally1 Era

In 2022, Rally1 arrived. The idea was for all teams to use the same parts in certain areas of the car: the FIA designed the protection structure and everyone used it identically, the hybrid system was the same for all, and there was less freedom to innovate aerodynamically. The goal was for teams to stop spending millions designing each component.

The hybrid system arrived primarily to align the championship with the electrification trend dominating the automotive industry in 2019-2022, when Rally1 was designed. The system proved expensive to maintain, complicated to repair in rally conditions, and fragile. No private team adopted it. The new manufacturers that were supposedly going to arrive because of the hybrid never appeared.

The championship continued with Toyota and Hyundai as the only manufacturers. In 2024, before the end of the regulatory cycle, the FIA removed the hybrid system. Admitting this mistake mid-cycle confirmed that Rally1 did not work as a long-term platform.

What WRC27 Aims to Change

The new framework sets a maximum price of 345,000 euros per car ready to compete in tarmac specification. This is 50% less compared to Rally1. Savings come from cost specifications for components and improved durability, which lowers purchase and replacement costs during the season.

The regulations also open the top category to Tuners, not just automotive manufacturers. A Constructor can now be an independent team that designs, builds, homologates, and markets WRC27 cars. This openness aims to broaden the grid beyond traditional brands.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, stated that the regulations focus on cost control, sustainability, and accessibility. Wilson commented that the flexibility allows for different solutions within the same regulatory framework.

The regulations also seek to reduce operational costs through limits on personnel, lower logistical requirements, increased use of local facilities, and improved data connectivity to support remote engineering.

Criticism of the Regulations Before Their Debut

The regulations have supporters but also generate doubts. One repeated observation is that WRC27 moves away from the link with production cars. The generic volume concept allows for very free silhouettes, which can dilute the visual relationship with street models. For some manufacturers, this reduces the commercial value of the program.

The price cap generates skepticism. The 345,000 euro limit covers the base car, not necessarily the annual operational cost. Development of reliability, global logistics, and personnel remain expensive. Large factory teams can absorb costs that others cannot.

WRC27 is designed to attract Tuners and independent projects, but in recent years, promises of new entries have not always materialized. If current manufacturers reduce their participation and replacements do not arrive, the championship faces the same problem it tried to solve.

The 10-year homologation offers stability but also creates concern. If the concept doesn't work, correcting it will be slow. The WRC has already had long cycles with structural problems.

The powertrain direction is also not entirely clear. WRC27 bets on combustion with sustainable fuel, with future openness to other systems. For some, the message to the industry is diffuse. There are no concrete dates for the arrival of hybrids or electrics.

Project Rally One Already Building the First Car

The FIA confirmed Project Rally One as the first Tuner to homologate a vehicle under the WRC27 regulations. The team has completed the chassis architecture and begun assembling the prototype. Lionel Hansen and Yves Matton lead the project without backing from an automotive manufacturer.

The chassis is finished, and the prototype will undergo validation exceeding 6,000 kilometers on gravel and tarmac. The first track outing will occur in spring 2026, giving 12 months to refine development before the start of the 2027 season.

Photo By FIA

Hansen explained that they designed the car considering the requirements of different championships where it could compete, not just the WRC. The vehicle meets WRC27 specifications: homologated tubular safety cell, double-wishbone suspension, four-wheel drive, 1.6-liter turbocharged engine with sustainable fuels.

To obtain homologation, Project Rally One must build 10 units within 24 months of approval. It also requires the capacity to supply at least 10 race-ready vehicles to customers each year. The FIA demands participation in a minimum of 50% of the events during the first season, with two units per rally.