Citroen reveals their DS3 WRC car for next season

The Citroen DS3 WRC will go up against the Ford Fiesta WRC and the Mini Countryman WRC next season, and all three cars were unveiled at the Paris Motor Show as the respective manufacturers sought to steal the limelight from each other.

The DS3 WRC replaces the C4 WRC rally car that has propelled Sebastian Loeb to multiple World Rally Championships, and Citroen has decided to use the smaller DS3 in order to comply with new regulations set by the FIA for the World Rally Championship from next season.

"The DS3 WRC is designed to limit the budgets required to compete in the WRC", Citroen explained. "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 DS3 WRC is powered by a 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged petrol engine like its rivals, and is capable of producing 300bhp and 350Nm of torque. Although based on the standard DS3 production model, the rally car features unique race technology such as a roll cage chassis extension structure with over 40 metres of steel tubes as well as four wheel drive.

There is also an aerodynamic splitter for the front bumper and a new rear spoiler, as well as widened wings and bumpers in order for the DS3 to comply with the WRC's measurement requirements. 18-inch wheels hide brakes that come with water-cooled 4-piston callipers for the tarmac setting with 355mm ventilated disks, or 300mm for gravel, at the front and ventilated 300mm disks for the rear.

The DS3 WRC also has a six-speed sequential gearbox coupled to the front differential within an aluminium housing that sends energy to the rear wheels via a longitudinal drive shaft. Central differentials are now banned by the FIA, so Citroen uses a system that disconnects the rear wheels by use of the hydraulic hand brake. The DS3 WRC also features a coupling of the transmission tunnel to the rear differential.

Citroen has also confirmed its drivers for the 2011 WRC season, with seven-time champion Sebastian Loeb retaining his seat, with Sebastian Ogier serving as his teammate. Spaniard Dani Sordo and Frenchman Philippe Bulgaski serve as test drivers for the team. The new WRC season starts next February with Rally Sweden.