Rally fans will be able to see the latest Ford Fiesta model make its competitive debut this weekend.

The new S2000 version will enter the final round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge in Scotland as a course car.

Ford took the wraps off its impressive new machine at its M-Sport headquarters in Cumbria and claimed that it has produced a “fantastic rally car”.

Malcolm Wilson, managing director of M-Sport, said: “This launch is a big step to seeing it out competing in rallies. It’s the first time in five years that we have been able to offer a Ford rally car that can challenge for overall victory in national championships across the world.”

The 280bhp, 192lb four-wheel drive creation has gone from the drawing board and onto the track in just nine months.

Autosport.com said that it is expected that Matthew Wilson will drive the Fiesta in Scotland having completed the majority of the testing in the machine.

Athletes, officials and staff at the 2012 London Olympic Games will be cruising around the city in Minis after a sponsorship deal was struck with BMW.

The German manufacturer has become the 24th sponsor of the event, which will see a fleet of 4,000 BMW cars, bicycles and Minis being used by the competitors.

As a top-level sponsor, BMW also becomes the game’s sixth sustainability partner, which means that it will be expected to meet a series of low-carbon and healthy-living challenges.

“BMW bicycles will be available for use by athletes in the Athletes Village and by London 2012 staff. BMW motorcycles will also be used in certain Olympic and Paralympic events,” a spokesman added.

Earlier this week, BMW reported that sales of its Mini car range had jumped 11.1 per cent year-on-year in October to over 19,000 units, mainly thanks to the success of its convertible model which saw a sales jump of over 300 per cent.

The BMW Group increased its global sales in October, with its Mini car performing particularly well.

A total of 115,252 BMW, Mini and Rolls Royce cars were delivered to customers last month, a two per cent increase on the same month last year.

The Mini’s popularity continued to grow, with the variety of different models available helping sales for the premium compact car brand increase by 11.1 per cent.

So far this year, 19,323 of the model have been delivered, compared to just over 17,000 in 2008.

The Mini Convertible also performed well, with worldwide sales rising by an impressive 336.1 per cent thanks to over 2,000 deliveries.

Mini also sold a large number of its Hatch and Clubman versions, with both showing impressive sales increases from the previous year.

A recent review of the new Mini Clubman by Auto Express magazine gave the model four stars, with experts praising the mix of the practical body style and the powerful engine.

People are flocking to buy the Ford Fiesta, with 100,000 being sold so far this year.

Nigel Sharp, Ford Britain’s managing director, said that reaching the figure was a “significant milestone” for the model, after it saw a ten per cent boost in sales in October.

The Ford Fiesta, which is What Car? magazine’s current Car of the Year, is top of the UK market, increasing its share to 16.2 per cent in the year to date.

Mr Sharp added: “Fiesta exemplifies our fresh and exciting product line-up which, together with an outstanding dealer network, has helped to increase our UK market share.”

Ford is doing well in the polls, with its Focus model ranking second behind the Fiesta and with the company overall having more than 26,000 scrappage registrations so far this year.

The Ford Fiesta 1.6 ZXi is now available in a special edition format, coming with leather upholstery and metallic accents on the interior trim.