HPI has announced a new nitro rally car. It looks pretty cool too. I love watching the WRC on TV, the crowds always amaze me. They get just a little too close sometimes, and someone loses a limb because of it. Oh, and the cars are pretty cool too 🙂

Below is the release from HPI. Checkout HPIRacing.com for more information.

When you combine the ultra-tough Bullet 3.0 drivetrain with the true to scale look of the Ford Abu Dhabi WRC team, you get the HPI WR8 Rally: scale realism and awesome nitro power!

Rallying is the ultimate test of a road car, pushing it beyond its limits, and by starting with the drivetrain from the Bullet 3.0 nitro-powered truck, designers had the perfect starting point to make an all-new HPI rally car! By making improvements to the suspension and wheelbase, the WR8 chassis was born! The WR8 keeps the tough bevel gear differentials, 4WD shaft drivetrain, twin disc brakes and fully ball bearing-supported drivetrain of the Bullet nitro truck, then we added a new Nitro Star G3.0 High Output engine, racing-style clutch, new suspension geometry, thick sway bars, plus scale gravel tires and wheels to make it a real rally contender!

To make it a complete scale package, our bodyshell designers got to work replicating the 2011 Ford Fiesta RS WRC used by the Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team, the offical Ford works rally team. This car saw action all around the world, from New Zealand to Norway, Great Britain to Germany! The shape and decals of this championship contender are absolutely spot-on, and when you add the officially licensed Abu Dhabi/Castrol livery, Michelin gravel tires and OZ wheels, it’s impossible to distinguish it from the real thing!

EXTENDED BULLET CHASSIS The 3mm aluminum chassis is the foundation of a tough and durable racing machine, and features composite braces front and rear, cool silver anodizing and countersunk screws on the bottom for zero interference going over obstacles. The dirt guards keep the worst mud and dirt from getting into the chassis and protect the chassis as well.
HIGH GROUND CLEARANCE A rally car has to cope with a range of conditions and road types that most cars or SUVs will never see – this is why the ride height is adjustable for off-road and on-road conditions using simple clips on the dampers.
G3.0 HIGH-OUTPUT ENGINE The new Nitro Star G3.0 HO engine is a super-powerful upgraded engine based on the powerful G3.0 used in the Firestorm and Bullet 3.0 trucks. It features a steel flywheel for smooth idling and is fitted with a racing style 2-shoe clutch for excellent acceleration and throttle response.
DUAL DISC BRAKES Twin steel disc brakes provide maximum stopping power, and are easily adjusted to provide more front or more rear braking action.
HIGH EFFICIENCY SHAFT 4WD DRIVETRAIN The WR8 Rally is equipped with the shaft drivetrain straight out of the Bullet 3.0 nitro truck. Three oil-filled gear diffs with bevel gears, a full-time 4WD drivetrain supported by rubber-sealed ball bearings, high-strength steel driveshafts & axles and much more!
WATERPROOF SERVOS The extra-strong & waterproof SF-10W servo is ideal for bashers and racers looking for a strong and durable servo for absolutely any kind of condition, and it’s the perfect fit to handle the steering and throttle/brake duties in the WR8 Rally. The servos are mounted to an orange-anodized aluminum plate for extra durability and control.
SPLASHPROOF RADIO BOX Splashproof receiver box fits the 2.4Ghz receiver and receiver pack, plus the antenna mount.
SKIDPLATE FRONT BUMPER The front bumper protects the front end of the chassis and suspension, and prevents the body from taking too much damage over jumps. A raised skid plate made from tough plastic allows the car to slide over objects in the road, and the high density foam bumper is sandwiched between a high angle skid plate and an upper bumper brace that doubles as a front body mount.
ALL-NEW SUSPENSION GEOMETRY The suspension of the WR8 is entirely new, with durable lower arms to fit the scale size of the Ford Fiesta RS WRC body, solid upper links for simple adjustment and shocks that are the perfect length for off-road use.
MICHELIN GRAVEL RALLY TIRES Officially licensed by Michelin and featuring the exclusive tread design of the Latitude Cross S1 gravel tires used in WRC competition, these tires are the ultimate in scale realism! The full-size tires must work in a wide range of conditions, as the rules allow only one type of gravel tire, and the scale version works great on gravel, dusty dirt and even on limited tarmac use.
FRONT AND REAR SWAY BARS Front and rear sway bars for precise handling and adjustability
REAR SHOCK MUD GUARDS Keeping mud and dirt off the shocks is a key in preventing excessive maintenance time to rebuild the shocks, and the shock guards fitted on the rear suspension arms do a fantastic job in keeping dirt, mud and more off the rear shocks!
TRUE SCALE FORD FIESTA RS WRC BODY Nothing can beat scale realism when you’re talking about model cars, and we’re proud to feature the official vehicle and livery design of the Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team on the WR8 Rally! Every feature of the real car is replicated in perfect scale miniature!