The Fabia Super 2000 project was launched with the aim of creating a simple yet complete and powerful S2000 rally car, capable of restoring ŠKODA to the highest levels of international rallying.
After an 18-month planning, development and testing phase, the Fabia S2000 was revealed. It made its debut in 2009 on the opening round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, Rallye Monte-Carlo and immediately proved to be one of the most competitive cars in its class.
Two of the protagonists behind this project are Pierfrancesco Zanchi and Mario Fornaris, team principal and technical director of ŠKODA Rally Team Italia respectively.
In 2007 they made their first contact with ŠKODA Motorsport. Towards the end of 2008, they submitted a proposal to develop a new ŠKODA Super 2000 car, based on the second-generation Fabia model.
The idea received ŠKODA's blessing as the new rally car would give the Czech manufacturer the opportunity to resume its rally activities following its official withdrawal from the sport at the end of 2005, while also providing an opportunity for distributors in different countries to get involved.
The time was also ripe to bring the Fabia S2000 car to Italy as the country had declared the car eligible for events there.
In April 2007 after an intense pre-development phase, Fornaris began working in close cooperation with ŠKODA Motorsport in the Czech Republic and, after nine months, the first prototype was created. The completion of this important step marked the beginning of the test phase with the newly-born Fabia S2000 completing its first kilometres at ŠKODA's private test circuit.
"From a personal point of view, there are two key moments when working in the design and development of a new rally car," says Mario Fornaris. "The first is when the first prototype is completed; the second when the car is tested to assess its actual performance. It was great to see the Fabia S2000 for the first time but the satisfaction was even greater when we tested it on track and we realised how fast and competitive it was. And this despite being only a prototype, at the beginning of its test phase! "
Having successfully completed the test and development phase, the production phase began. By November 2008, the Czech manufacturer's Fabia S2000 model was under production at its factory in Mladá Boleslav factory.
Following the homologation in January 2009, the Fabia S2000 achieved some very positive results on its debut event, Rallye Monte-Carlo, not to mention good technical feedback. And since June of that year, ŠKODA Rally Team Italia has been running Fabia S2000 cars in national and international events.
SRTI currently owns three Fabia S2000s, which were used in the Hungarian Rally Championship, the Italian Gravel Trophy and the Intercontinental Rally Challenge during 2011 in the colours of ŠKODA Rally Team Hungária, ŠKODA Rally Team Italia and ŠKODA UK Motorsport respectively.
The cars are prepared and maintained by Zanchi's team before, during and after each event from its headquarters in Oleggio Castello.
Approximately 60 Fabia S2000 cars are being used in various rally championships, either run by factory teams or privateers in a number of different countries.
The Fabia S2000, in accordance with the FIA's technical regulations, is equipped with a four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine generating 265bp, a six-speed sequential gearbox and four-wheel drive with three differentials.
Technical specifications
Length: 3992 mm
Width: 1820 mm
Wheelbase: 2486 mm
Weight: min. 1200 kg
Fuel tank: 60 litres
Consumption: 0.60 l/km
Engine: 1,996cc – 83 x 92.2 mm
Four-cylinder engine
Compression ratio: 13,0:1
Max. torque: 245 Nm / 7250 rpm
Max. power output: 265 bhp / 8250 rpm
Electronics: Magneti Marelli
Drive: Four-wheel-drive
Transmission: sequential 6-speed
2 mechanical differentials
Clutch: AP Racing sinter 2 discs 184 mm
Suspension: McPherson front and rear
Shock absorbers: Reiger
Tyres and rims: BFG asphalt 8x18" gravel 7x15"
Brakes: Brembo
Asphalt front wheel 355 mm
Asphalt rear wheel 300 mm
Gravel wheel 300 mm