The importance of Volkswagen->ke94’s Polo->ke322 R WRC racer cannot be overstated. Designed specifically for the new rules that went into effect for the 2013 season, the Polo R dominated the World Rally Championship, knocking Citroen->ke22 from the top of the podium for the first time in nearly a decade.

That last fact is what needs to resonate the most. The Polo R WRC->ke523 ended a nine-year domination of the sport. When you have one man, or one team that is unstoppable in any form of competition, it ceases to become a competition. When you know who will win, it isn't very much fun to watch, unless you happen to be a fan of the winner.

Volkswagen can’t afford to rest on its laurels though. The 2014 season represents a whole new competition, and Citroen is no doubt making plans to take back the title of World Champion.

As such, Volkswagen has announced its car for the 2014 WRC season, and it has been kind enough to share a few of the important changes it has made. Apart from the obvious visual changes on the new rally car->ke191, Volkswagen has spent much of its time perfecting engine components and improving the overall stability of the car through ECU flashes and the alteration of chassis components. Other than the 315-horsepower four-pot under the hood, Volkswagen didn't dive too far into the details of what's changed under the skin, as it is hoping to surprise its rivals once again this year.

The first race of the season, Rallye Monte Carlo, is taking place this week and Volkswagen is off to a promising start as they secured the fastest time in the testing stage. That said, Citroen was only 1.2 seconds off pace, and only 3.5 seconds separate first and seventh, so the racing should be close.

Ladies and Gentleman, Volkswagen has brought the excitement back to the World Rally Championship.

Click past the jump to read more on the WRC.

Brief WRC History

The World Rally Championship (WRC) is a rallying race series organized by the FIA, the same sanctioning group that oversees Formula One. Just as in Formula One, the WRC consists of a series of races with the winning teams and drivers being awarded points. At the end of the season, the driver and team with the most points is crowned World Champion.

The first series was run in the year 1973. In its current form, all entered cars are based on a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, feature four-wheel drive and each car is fitted with a sequential gearbox.

The 2014 Season will consist of 13 races and has four major automotive manufacturers entering cars; Ford, Volkswagen, Citroen and Hyundai. Currently there are a total of 23 cars scheduled to compete.