A few months ago, Škoda revealed its all-new Fabia, a model that will undoubtedly be a vital product for the Czech automaker, yet it hardly registered on our scale of the most exciting debuts at the Paris Motor Showthis year. But this... this is more like it.

What you're looking at is the Škoda Fabia R5 Concept, a preview of Škoda's upcoming new rally machine. Looking like a Fabia on 'roids, the R5 concept previews the brand's new contender for the second top rally class. That means a 1.6-liter turbo engine mated to a five-speed sequential gearbox, MacPherson strut suspension and a curb weight of at least 2,712 pounds.

Once complete, the new Fabia R5 will have big shoes to fill. The outgoing Fabia S2000 was one of the most successful rally machines on dirt, gravel, snow or tarmac, winning countless stages, rallies and titles in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge, the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, the FIA European Rally Championship and others. Introduced back in 2009, the Fabia S2000 also served as the basis forVolkswagen's dominant WRC program, whose success the new Fabia R5 will be tasked with matching in the lower classes.

Škoda will be showcasing the concept at the Essen Motor Show in Germany this weekend, where it will appear alongside the rest of the brand's lineup as well as some specially prepared show cars