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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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.

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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.

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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...

Citroen Readying DS3 R3 Rally Car - First Photos

The production version of Citroen's all-new DS3 was only just revealed at last month's Frankfurt Show, but the French automaker is already working on a rally version of its three-door supermini. Pictured here during testing on dry tarmac, the DS3 rally car is said to be homologated for Group R3. There's nothing official yet on Citroen's site but the photos show a stripped out DS3 featuring a full roll cage, boot and roof scoops along with rally-spec tires and alloy wheels. We'll keep an eye on this story for any developments by until then, hit the jump for more pictures.

Via: Racingpassion