The FIA has unveiled the first visual concept of the WRC27 Rally1 car, offering an early look at the machinery set to define the next era of the FIA World Rally Championship from 2027 onwards.
First approved by the World Motor Sport Council in 2024, the WRC27 regulations are designed to reset rallying’s top category - reducing costs and increasing accessibility, while preserving the performance and spectacle that sit at the heart of the WRC.
The newly revealed concept turns that framework into a tangible design, showing how the regulations could be applied across a range of vehicle styles and interpretations by future Constructors.
At its core is a tubular frame safety cell, evolving the structure introduced with the current Rally1 cars in 2022. Developed through simulation, benchmarking and prototype crash testing, the new cell delivers high levels of occupant protection while reducing overall complexity and cost, with improved intrusion resistance and energy absorption across all major impact scenarios.
That safety-led foundation is surrounded by a bodywork framework designed to give Constructors far greater freedom. Rather than requiring cars to be derived from current production models, the regulations define a reference volume within which all exterior panels must sit. Within that space, Constructors are free to develop anything from production-inspired designs to bespoke rally concepts, while simplified aerodynamic devices aim to keep development costs in check.