Citroën has just fired back at MINI by releasing new images of its 2011 DS3 WRC. It looks pretty cool, too, but I think the MINI WRC is still a bit better. Of course, with eleventy-times champion Sebastien Loeb at the wheel, the DS3 WRC is sure to be the car to beat next year.
The full reveal of the DS3 WRC will take place very soon at the Paris Motor Show. More pics after the break.
Wraps off Citroën DS3 WRC challenger
Citroën is unleashing an all-new contender for the 2011 World Rally Championship – the Citroën DS3 WRC. The hotly anticipated replacement for the multi-championship winning C4 WRC will make its global public debut at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
Aggressive, dynamic and packed with ‘Créative Technologie’, the DS3 WRC represents the efforts of Citroën Racing to push performance to the limit during its development, whilst complying with the new FIA regulations. After five WRC manufacturer’s and six consecutive driver’s titles for Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, Citroën is out to extend its run of success with the DS3 WRC.
More compact than its predecessor, the Citroën DS3 WRC boasts the same powerful lines as the production DS3, although they are emphasised by the cooling vents and aerodynamic parts designed to improve road holding at high speeds. Under the bonnet, the 300hp 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged engine was conceived from start to finish by Citroën Racing. The four-wheel-drive transmission incorporates a six-gear sequential gearbox and front and rear mechanical differentials.
DS3 WRC is designed to limit the budgets required to compete in the WRC. The new FIA rules ban costly materials such as titanium and carbon-fibre, and standardise certain parts like the turbocharger and limit the changes that can be made to the vehicle during its lifetime. Rally nevertheless remains a great testing ground for driving new advances in vehicle technology.
The icy stages of Rally Sweden in February 2011 are expected to give the model its first taste of competitive action. Two teams РS̩bastien Loeb / Daniel Elena and S̩bastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia Рhave already been confirmed for the 2011 World Rally Championship.
2 replies on “Paris 2010: Citroën DS3 WRC”
[…] Citroën Racing team has given the all-conquering C4 WRC a fitting send off. Its replacement, the DS3 WRC, also made its public debut over the weekend at the latest world motor show, which is being held in […]
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