As spectators, rally fans probably won’t spot many of the technical changes made to the improved FABIA R5 evo. However, there are several visual differences by which you can easily recognize the modified car from the original version even on the rally stages. Let’s look at them all!
A new face
You can easily spot the ŠKODA FABIA R5 evo by the looks of its reworked front bumper. The main difference is the new, smaller headlights with an LED strip on the bottom and a straight lower edge. The radiator grille is also different, with a sharp angle added to its sides. Another change is the shape of the bumper’s sides, with an aerodynamic edge lower, at roughly half of its height. The previous car had this feature at the top.
Carbon pack
Another significant change is the addition of several carbon features. FABIA R5 evo has carbon rear wings, rearview mirrors and roof mounted vent. The carbon surface is clearly visible on all these parts. On the previous car, they were gloss black.
A different rear bumper and exhaust
From the rear, you can recognize the new car by the modified shape of the rear bumper’s lower part. Between the black and painted sections, there is a pronounced crease. The exhaust tailpipe is once again placed in the middle, but now it is angled downwards, while the original ŠKODA FABIA R5 had a horizontal one.
New brake callipers
Real experts will notice one more change, especially apparent in the tarmac setup – the new brake calipers. While the previous car used Brembo ones with a red logo, the FABIA R5 evo has Alcon ones with a white manufacturer’s logo.
Door panels
If you visit the service park and see the car with driver’s or co-driver’s door open, take note of the door panels. On the revamped car, they are black (previously, they were carbon-surfaced) and on the right side, right next to the cloth door pull, there is a grey foam safety element which dampens the side impact.
