Although already confirmed by the FIA's list of permeant drivers, the launch in Wolfsburg also officially announced World RX drivers' champion Johan Kristoffersson as remaining with the PSRX Volkswagen Sweden team, alongside Solberg for a second year.

Volkswagen Motorsport's Hannover-built Polo, which has been rebranded as an R instead of GTI for 2018, was run in public test sessions recently in Belgium and France in a testing livery.

It features 20 percent new parts, including optimised aerodynamics, notably with a revised rear wing, and increased front cooling.

"I have done lots of training – and competed in the World Rally Championship, driving a Skoda Fabia R5 at Rally Sweden – but nothing compares with that feeling of being back in a Volkswagen Polo R Supercar," said defending champion Kristoffersson.

"When we started testing again this year, I was sitting in the car smiling to myself. I'm so excited to be back and so excited to start the defense of my title from last year."

Despite his team setting the pace through the 2017 World RX season with limited preparation, triple world champion Solberg says it won't be easy to maintain the advantage this year.

"Last year the agreement for my PSRX team to partner with Volkswagen Sweden and Volkswagen Motorsport came very late, but we made so much success," said Solberg, who won the British round of the series at Lydden Hill las season.

"Now it's the job of us all to build on this success. It's not going to be easy.

"There's always pressure. I put more pressure on myself than anybody and my dream for this year is to fight for the championship again.

"I'm looking forward to getting back behind the wheel. We have made lots of little developments to fine-tune the Polo R and get things a little bit better all the time."