Paris Show: Citroën Unleashes DS3 WRC Contender

Joining the world premieres of the MINI Countryman WRC and Ford Fiesta RS WRC at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, is Citroën's all-new contender for the 2011 World Rally Championship, the DS3 WRC in full racing livery.

The French firm's replacement for the multi-championship winning C4 WRC fully complies with the new FIA regulations with power coming from a 300hp 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged engine. The car also gets a four-wheel-drive system that incorporates a six-gear sequential gearbox and front and rear mechanical differentials.

"The DS3 WRC is designed to limit the budgets required to compete in the WRC", said Citroën in a statement. "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 new DS3 WRC will make racing debut at the Rally Sweden in February 2011. The French firm has already confirmed two teams of the next racing season, Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena and Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia.

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Citroën Releases Dating 2.0 to Help People Find a Date for The Paris Motor Show (and Market the DS3)

Ooohweee, does Citroën know how to get this pale, pajama-wearing, cries-himself-to-sleep-every-night hippie blogger interested. Screw match-dot-com, we've got a car dating service now. The French brand know for its wild and out of this world concepts (see GTbyCitroën, Survolt, Revolte, etc.) has created a new form of match-up for the car enthusiast called Dating 2.0, and it's one nifty little time-waster.

Just be aware that the first step is asking your preference, not what you are. Don't make the same mistake I did and wind up looking at a dude in boxer briefs. Well, unless that's your thing, in which case go for it.

I, on the other hand, went with classy, busty, and shapely for my little lady and ended up with a "beautiful, alluring, and enigmatic" fish supper-enjoying mermaid and a red DS3. Yeah, I thought it was weird, too, so I tried it again...and it got even weirder.

Next, I chose funny, toned, and sporty (or something thereabouts) and ended up with a dominatrix-looking chick in leather with "a dominant personality and a unique dress sense". And...and...she's wearing a studded collar with a friggin' leash.

Try out this Dating 2.0 (link below) for yourself and leave your kinky results in the comments below. As for me, I'm off to the store to snag some furry handcuffs.

By Phil Alex

Link: Citroën Dating 2.0

Citroën Reveals New DS3 R3 Rally Car for the Masses

Citroën is looking to take on the rally circuit with its new DS3 R3, homologated for FIA's new Group R3T regulations. "Versatile, high performance and yet affordably-priced, DS3 R3 is set to become the new leader in its category," says the French carmaker about its rally-prepped DS3 that will be available in both in kit and ready-to-race versions.

Featuring the same structural design and appearance as the production model, with the steel body shell reinforced by a welded, multi-point roll cage, the DS3 R3 Rally car comes with an upgraded 1.6-litre turbocharged inline-four producing 210bhp and 350Nm / 258.2 lb-ft of peak torque.

As with the French carmaker's hardcore C4 WRC, the DS3 R3 is equipped with a six-speed sequential transmission (a first for a customer-racing product), which the company claims allows for gear changes to be made twice as quickly over a manual gearbox.

The suspension has been redesigned and upgraded to make full use of the Group R regulations, allowing for a wide variety of setup options. Rally-spec alloy wheels and a reworked braking system are also part of the package. For more details, check out the complete list below.

TARMAC RACING KIT (500 PARTS)
- Racing engine, assembled and bench-tested, ready to be mounted
- Gearbox, assembled and bench-tested, ready to be mounted
- Reinforced body shell, with roll-cage and seat attachment brackets and accessories (handbrake, ECUs, spare wheel, mounting brackets)
- Reinforced engine sub-frame
- Protective skidplate for engine and exhaust
- Adjustable front and rear suspension elements
- Reinforced hub carriers
- Adjustable specific front suspension wishbones
- Maximum size front and rear brake discs
- Front and rear specific brake callipers
- Reinforced rear axle
- Set of rear axle geometry adjustment shims
- Direct power-steering rack
- Specific braking system
- Specific 'pedal box' assembly
- Tarmac 7x17'' wheels
- Fuel system with FIA-homologated tank
- Specific engine and gearbox cooling system
- Air/high-capacity air exchanger and specific booster circuit
- Aviation type electrical system with digital instrument panel display
- Data acquisition system built into the injection unit
- Roof-mounted air intake
- Glossy dashboard strip
- Specific wheel arch protections
- Front and rear tow straps
- Spare wheel straps

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT:
- Gravel rallying adaptation kit, including shock absorbers, springs, anti-roll bar, front brake discs, 6x15'' gravel wheels and bodywork protective covers
- Short or long torque settings
- Co-driver footrest
- Citroën Racing rear-view mirrors
- FIA-homologated crash panel doors
- Xenon headlamp assembly
- 64MB data acquisition unit upgrade
- Specific mapping for racing fuel
- Tool kit, including: wheel hub fitting tool, brake fluid bleed device, steering rack shim
- Springs of varying levels of stiffness
- Anti-roll bar of varying diameters
- Standard bodywork spare parts kit

EQUIPMENT NOT INCLUDED IN THE KIT:
- Seats
- Harness
- Fire extinguishers
- Battery
- Spare wheel
- Jack and tyre-changing accessories
- Radio equipment and on-board computer
- FIA-approved anti-shatter protective film
- Tyres

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
CHASSIS
Structure Reinforced body with welded, multi-point roll cage
Bodywork DS3 THP 150 with specific roof-mounted air intake and rear-view mirrors

ENGINE
Type 1.6 THP PSA
Bore x stroke 77x85.8 mm
Capacity 1,598cc
Maximum power 210bhp at 4,750rpm
Maximum torque 35Nm at 3,000rpm
Specific output 131.4bhp/litre
Distribution Double overhead camshaft valve train
Breaker arm with adapted cam profile
Specific pistons, connecting rods, engine flywheel and camshaft
Fuel feed Direct injection
Motorized single throttle valve

CLUTCH
Type Thrust mechanism
184mm cerametallic twin-disk

TRANSMISSION
Type Front-wheel drive
Gearbox Six-speed sequential
Control Electronically controlled with steering wheel-mounted paddle
Differential Self-locking type ZF differential

BRAKES
Front Ventilated disks, 330x30mm (tarmac) and 300x30mm (gravel)
4-piston callipers
Rear 300x8mm discs
2-piston callipers
Distribution Adjustable
Handbrake Hydraulic control
SUSPENSION
Front McPherson type
Specific hinges and hub carriers
Rear H-shaped axles
Shock absorbers BOS three-track adjustable shock absorbers (low-and high-speed compression and rebound)
Adjustable hydraulic bump stop

STEERING
Type Hydraulic power-assisted steering

WHEELS
Tarmac 7x17'' wheels
BFGoodrich 200/50/R17 tyres
Gravel 6x15'' wheels
BFGoodrich 195/70/R15 tyres

DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES
Length 3,948mm
Width 1,715mm
Wheel base 2,465mm
Track 1,520mm (front) – 1,490mm (rear)
Fuel tank 67 litres
Weight 1,230kg with driver pairing (regulations)
Weight distribution 64/36% (front/rear)

VIDEO: Citroen's MINI Cooper JCW Fighting DS3 Racing 200HP

Here's the first official video clip of the limited edition Citroen DS3 Racing that will be formally introduced at the Geneva Motor Show next week. A creation of Citroen's Racing division that handles the firm's World Rally Championship cars, the DS3 Racing will be produced in a strictly limited number of 1,000 units.

The hottest variant yet of the French automaker's premium supermini is powered by a tweaked version of the BMW-PSA Citroen Peugeot co-developed 1.6-liter turbocharged engine that's also used on the rivaling MINI Cooper JCW model. In the DS3 Racing, the 1.6 THP delivers an output of 200HP.

Understandably, the engineers at Citroen Racing didn't stop at the engine as the DS3's suspension, steering wheel and braking components were also upgraded to further improve driver's feedback and handling. For more details and photos, click here.

Hot Stuff: Citroen DS3 Racing Special with 200HP Heading to Geneva

Citroen is aiming directly at MINI John Cooper Work's territory with its scorching hot new DS3 Racing sport model that will make its world premiere at next month's Geneva Motor Show.

Developed by Citroen's Racing division that handles the French firm's WRC cars, the special edition version of the DS3 hatch comes with a beefed up 1.6-liter turbo engine, modified chassis and a bevy of styling upgrades. It will go on sale in the second half of the year with production limited to 1,000 units.

Power comes from a tuned version of the standard model's Peugeot-Citroen PSA and BMW Group co-developed 1.6-liter turbocharged four. Citroen Racing's engineers modified and optimized the powertrain components, tuned the turbo, reconfigured the ECU and added a special tail pipe and muffler.

These upgrades boost the engine's output from 156HP and 240Nm to 200HP and 275Nm or 202.8 lb-ft of peak torque.

To improve the DS3 Racing's handling and driver feedback properties, Citroen Racing's engineers modified the steering system, fitted stiffer suspension springs, adapted the front and rear shock absorbers, widened the front and rear tracks by 30mm and lowered the car by 15mm.

Furthermore, the DS3 Racing gets beefier high-performance tires, a recalibrated ESP that can disengaged and an up-rated braking system with 4-piston callipers and special disc-brakes with drilled discs at the rear.

In the styling department, the DS3 Racing gets a new aero kit with front and rear spoilers, side skirts and a rear diffuser while the preview model comes in a gray finish with orange accents and rooftop complemented by special livery with 'DS3', 'Citroën Racing' and chequered flag graphics.

The French maker also used a carbon finish for the front bumper, lower body trim and wing extensions, whilst the 18-inch alloy wheels, chrome door handles and chrome-finished exhaust complete the exterior mods.

As for the interior, the Citroen's hot hatch stands out thanks to the body-hugging bucket seats up front, carbon trim on the dashboard, centre console, steering wheel embellisher, armrests and door side mouldings, plus orange accents on the dash, gear stick and gear stick surround.

Citroen Announces UK Pricing for New DS3 Premium Mini, Launches Online Configurator

A few months ahead of the DS3's market launch in Spring 2010, Citroen has released UK prices and specification details as well as a dedicated online configurator for its new premium supermini. The first model from Citroën's new DS line, which will gradually consist of three cars including the larger DS4 and DS5, will be offered in three new trim levels, DSign, DStyle and DSport, with a choice of three petrol and two HDi diesels ranging from 90hp to 150hp.

Prices for the three-door hatchback will start in the UK from £11,700 (about €13,200 or US$18,900) for the petrol 1.4 VTi 95hp in DSign trim and top out at £18,775 (around €21,000 or US$30,300) for what Citroen describes as, "a fully specified, fully personalized" DSport model powered by the BMW co-developed 1.6-liter turbo petrol unit with 150-horsepower.

As with the BMW Group's MINI, one of the DS3's closest rivals, the French automaker will offer buyers of the car an extensive choice of customizable design and convenience options.

*Click here for the DS3 configurator -

PS: We hope you don't mind our choice of photos from Citroen's DS3 album...