Volkswagen could be considering entering the FIA World Rally Championship in the not-to-distant future to compete alongside the likes of Ford, Citroen, Subaru and Suzuki.

VW motorsport chief Kris Nissen attended the Neste Oil Rally Finland last weekend, the ninth round in this year's championship, visiting the service park at Jyvaskyla following the shakedown on Thursday morning.

That has fuelled speculation about VW's plans and according to reports by rallye-magazin.de Nissen met with series officials - including Simon Long, the managing director of International Sportsworld Communicators, to enquiry about the new technical regulations and plans concerning the appointment of a central promoter.

The WRC is currently the only FIA registered championship not to have a global promoter and while the World Motor Sport Council confirmed at the end of June that it has 'directed' the FIA to 'finalise negotiations for the appointment of a central promoter', it is still uncertain how long that will take.

VW's main involvement in rallying at the moment is with the Race Touareg in the Dakar, although it does have a presence in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge with the Polo Super 2000.

Mark Deans, Ford of Europe's motorsport director, meanwhile has said that VW is only one of four new manufacturers' currently looking at the WRC, with Fiat and Renault, as well as Skoda, which of course is part of the VW Group, also in the frame.

More to follow as and when it develops...