Hot on the heels of Sebastien Loeb’s 2011 DS3 WRC challenger, new boys MINI and the experienced team of Ford/M-Sport released their 2011 WRC challengers today at the Paris Motor Show.

Briton Kris Meeke has been confirmed as one of MINI’s drivers for 2011 where he will contest the 1.6l Countryman against the likes of Loeb, Hirvonen and Solberg.  With Prodrive running the MINI WRC operation, they’re likely to hit the ground running and be towards the sharp end of the timing sheets.

The Fiesta RS WRC uses a Fiesta S2000 rally car as its base, which won the legendary Monte Carlo Rally on its debut last January and other international and national rallies in 2010.  Ford of Europe’s design team and M-Sport have worked together to fine-tune the styling of the bodywork and aerodynamic package of the new Fiesta to create an exciting replacement for the outgoing Focus RS WRC.

With the covers coming off three works teams’ cars today, it seems there are going to be some great looking cars in WRC next year.

countryman fiesta ford mini m sport paris Prodrive wrc