Volkswagen unveils 2013 WRC car, Red Bull sponsored

In front of the world's media, who had been flown in especially for the occasion, Volkswagen Motorsport team principal Jost Capito outlined his vision of the future and presented the three crews that will compete in the WRC next year for VW: Sebastien Ogier-Julien Ingrassia, Jari-Matti Latvala-Miika Anttila and Andreas Mikkelsen-Mikko Markkula.

According to Capito, there will be no team orders, with all three crews free to challenge for victories in the Polo R WRC, which has been developed by two-time World Rally champion (and Volkswagen's sporting advisor) Carlos Sainz.

At the same time, Capito also presented an all-new Polo R WRC road car based on the rally car: the fastest Polo ever made. Volkswagen also launched a new website—volkswagen-motorsport.com—with cutting-edge graphics and video, designed to “bring rallying to the people,” as Capito put it.rnrnVolkswagen has tested the Polo R WRC for more than a year, and some of the top names in the sport—many of whom were invited to the launch—have tipped the new Polo to be competitive from the outset, helped by a budget that clearly raises the bar in the World Rally Championship. After General Motors, Volkswagen is the second-largest car manufacturer in the world, in terms of production.

Ogier has been contracted to Volkswagen since the start of 2012 and has spent the season driving a Skoda Fabia S2000 as the team prepares for its assault on the championship with a World Rally car. Latvala joins the team straight from Ford, where he finished third in the championship standings. Mikkelsen, from Norway, is the reigning Intercontinental Rally Challenge champion. Mikkelsen clinched that title in a Skoda Fabia S2000.

Volkswagen also revealed the Polo R WRC's livery for next year. It will carry sponsorship from energy drink giant Red Bull, which is no longer backing the reigning champion Citroën team in 2013.

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