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Petter Solberg has first Volkswagen Polo World Rallycross test

Two-time World Rallycross champion Petter Solberg has begun testing the Volkswagen Motorsport-built Polo RX Supercar he will race in this year's world championship

Solberg shared driving duties with new team-mate Johan Kristoffersson at the Loheac test in France this week.

"Yes, we have tried it," Solberg told Autosport's sister title Motorsport.com. "Just a small test, to look over and check everything.

"We will continue to do more testing now in the next few months - we have a good time planned."

Few details have been released about the cars that Solberg and Kristoffersson will race in World RX this year, following the announcement that Solberg has secured manufacturer backing from the German marque.

Volkswagen is building the cars in Germany and will provide support on events

Asked if the Polos were brand new or already-used, Solberg said: "It's a combination, for sure. I have a lot of confidence and it will be good."

The Norwegian also revealed that the new cars have transversally mounted engines.

Previous Polos raced in World RX by Marklund Motorsport and Kristoffersson Motorsport have used longitudinally mounted units, similar to Solberg's Citroen DS 3.

The transverse engine orientation falls in line with Volkswagen's existing technology, a layout generally preferred by manufacturer-backed teams to be more akin to the road-going versions of the car.

"Of course it changes a lot of things, but it's just adaptation of driving style and it fits me better," said Solberg.

"It [the car set-up] will still be soft. We're working a lot with inertia, weight distribution and centre of gravity, all these things.

"We will be better than before."

Solberg also praised his new team-mate Kristoffersson, who finished second overall in World RX last season.

"Whatever situation I would have been in with any other team, I would have chosen him definitely," said Solberg.

"He's fast, he's fair, he's professional, he's fit, a nice guy and has a brain to get out of situations when it's tough fights.

"I think we're a strong team together."

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