Proto Power vs N5 Precision, The Technical Battle
By Mwambazi Lawrence
The Ugandan rally scene has quietly entered what engineers would call a “highly advanced technical phase” and what mechanics in the service park would simply call “ehh… these cars are now too serious.” What began in 2022 as Duncan Mubiru casually importing a Ford Fiesta NRC Proto from Latvia has now grown into a three-car mechanical showdown at the very top.
We’re talking about Duncan’s battle-hardened MK7 Fiesta Proto, Moses Lumala’s newer, shinier MK8 Fiesta NRC Evo2 Proto, and the incoming Škoda Fabia N5 for Musa Ssegaabwe a trio that proves there are many ways to go fast, sideways, and occasionally backwards on African rally roads.
And no, this is not about who has the loudest anti-lag bangs or the freshest livery. This is about engineering, setup philosophy, and how each car converts fuel, air, and driver bravery into stage-winning speed.
Duncan Mubiru – Ford Fiesta NRC Proto (MK7)
Duncan’s Fiesta Proto is built on a Ford Fiesta MK7 shell, but calling it a “Fiesta” is like calling a lion a “cat.” Underneath is pure, purpose-built rally madness. With Rally2 NRC suspension, long travel (280 mm front / 300 mm rear), and 3-way adjustable Reiger dampers, this car doesn’t drive over rough roads it politely ignores them.
The identical uprights, hubs, discs, and calipers on all four corners are a dream for mechanics. If something breaks, they don’t ask, “Front or rear?” They just say, “Bring that thing… you know… the same thing everywhere.” Efficiency survival.
Power comes from a Mitsubishi-based 2.0L turbo engine pushing around 360 hp and a ground-twisting 690 Nm of torque through a 34 mm restrictor. That torque is so serious that when Duncan exits a slow corner, nearby goats start reconsidering their life choices. On loose gravel, the car doesn’t accelerate it launches arguments with physics.
The KAPS 6-speed sequential gearbox and active center differential help deliver that power, while Ralliart LSDs manage traction at both axles. At 1270 kg, it’s slightly heavier than Lumala’s Evo2, but Duncan’s real advantage is that he knows this car like a boda rider knows every pothole on Jinja Road. Every vibration, every noise, every “that sound is normal… I think.”
Strength: Massive torque, proven reliability, and years of driver familiarity. On rough, flowing stages, this car is less of a vehicle and more of a trusted old war general that has seen things.
Moses Lumala – Ford Fiesta NRC Evo2 Proto (MK8)
If Duncan’s car is the experienced general, Lumala’s MK8 Evo2 is the young, gym-going officer with new boots and a fitness watch. Same rally DNA, but newer, lighter, and full of modern upgrades.
Built on the MK8 bodyshell, the Evo2 benefits from improved chassis rigidity and smarter packaging. Suspension travel is similar on paper, but the real magic lies in the latest-spec Samsonas dampers with WRC internals. In simple terms, these dampers handle heat better, stay consistent longer, and complain less than a co-driver who missed lunch.
Power output is similar about 360 hp and 690 Nm from the same Mitsubishi-based turbo engine but the Evo2 weighs only 1240 kg. That 30 kg difference may not sound like much, but in rally terms, that’s the weight of one very nervous mechanic who forgot to tighten a bolt.
Instead of the KAPS gearbox, Lumala runs an XShift 6-speed sequential, known for fast, crisp shifts. The electronics step up too, with a MoTeC M150 ECU that can log so much data it probably knows what Lumala had for breakfast. Compared to older systems, this is like upgrading from a kabiriti phone to a full smartphone with Wi-Fi and attitude.
Add Kevlar/carbon ultra-light bodywork, an FIA-spec CrMo roll cage, and a quick-refuel system, and this car is built for modern rally efficiency. Less weight, more response, fewer excuses.
Strength: Lighter, sharper, and more advanced in suspension and electronics. On fast, technical stages, this car changes direction so quickly it looks like it remembered it left the cooker on at home.
Musa Ssegaabwe – Skoda Fabia N5 (RMC Motorsport)
Musa Ssegaabwe’s incoming Skoda Fabia N5 enters the fight with a completely different mindset. While the Proto cars are built like heavyweight boxers throwing knockout punches, the N5 is more like a technical fighter smart, balanced, and very efficient with its energy.
Built by RMC Motorsport in Spain, the Fabia N5 runs a 1.6-litre turbocharged PSA engine fitted with a 34 mm restrictor. Output sits at roughly 310–330 bhp and about 450 Nm of torque. On paper, that’s noticeably less grunt than the 360 hp / 690 Nm monsters in the Proto cars. But rallying is not always about who shouts the loudest sometimes it’s about who keeps their composure when the road looks like it was designed by an angry bulldozer.
Where the Protos try to twist the earth every time the throttle is touched, the N5 delivers its power in a more progressive, usable way. The mid-range response is strong and predictable, which is gold on twisty, technical sections where smooth exits beat dramatic wheelspin and flying stones.
The car uses a 6-speed sequential gearbox and sits at a minimum weight of 1,230 kg, which actually makes it lighter than Duncan’s MK7 Proto and not far off Lumala’s Evo2. So while it gives away some horsepower, it claws back performance through balance and agility like a player who may not be the tallest on the pitch but somehow keeps winning the ball.
Suspension is long-travel and purpose-built for both gravel and rough surfaces, allowing the Fabia to stay composed when the road turns into a test of faith. The N5 platform uses a standardized chassis concept, helping control costs and making parts supply and setup more straightforward music to the ears of mechanics who are tired of fabricating miracles at midnight.
Skoda’s rally DNA shows in the chassis behavior. The car is stable, confidence-inspiring, and less likely to suddenly ask the driver life-threatening questions mid-corner.
Strength: Excellent balance, strong mechanical grip, lighter weight, and friendly drivability. On tight, technical stages or rallies where survival and consistency matter, the N5 can quietly sneak up the results sheet while more powerful cars are busy arguing with their own torque.
Final Technical Verdict
These three cars don’t just represent different drivers they represent three distinct engineering philosophies fighting for the same trophies.
Duncan Mubiru’s MK7 Fiesta Proto is the battle-hardened warrior. With massive torque (the kind that rearranges loose gravel and nearby wildlife), a proven setup, and years of driver familiarity, this car is brutally effective on rough, flowing stages. It may be slightly heavier, but it delivers its power like a sledgehammer wrapped in experience. When the road is fast, wide, and unforgiving, this machine feels right at home.
Moses Lumala’s MK8 Fiesta NRC Evo2 Proto is the refined evolution of that same monster. Slightly lighter, more rigid, and armed with newer-generation suspension and electronics, it brings sharper responses and more precise control. The power is just as wild, but the delivery is cleaner, the data smarter, and the reactions quicker. On fast, technical roads where direction changes come rapidly, the Evo2 looks like it’s thinking three corners ahead.
Then comes Musa Ssegaabwe’s Skoda Fabia N5, the smart disruptor. With around 310–330 bhp and 450 Nm, it clearly gives away raw muscle to the Protos. But at 1,230 kg, with strong mid-range response and a beautifully balanced chassis, it fights back with agility, predictability, and grip. This car doesn’t try to scare the stage into submission it studies it, respects it, and then quietly sets a very annoying stage time.
On wide-open power stages, the Protos’ torque advantage will usually stretch the gap. But on tight, twisty sections or rallies where survival matters more than heroics, the N5 can close in especially if the Proto drivers are busy wrestling wheelspin while the Fabia is calmly minding its racing line like a disciplined student in a class full of troublemakers.
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