If Heston Blumenthal were to tackle car engineering, the result may be quite similar to the DS3 Racing Cabriolet. It comprises so many divergent elements into one complete car that knowing how to approach it can be quite a challenge.
Visibility a slight issue with the roof down!
Unfortunately, and rather unlike snail porridge or bacon and egg ice cream, the DS3 R cab never really comes together as a cohesive whole. From the
DS3 Racing
hatch, something less exclusive, more affordable and with greater focus would have been ideal. So Citroen has made a rarer and more expensive cabriolet. The resulting car comes across as quite desultory and rather bemusing. What purpose should it serve?
There's a fascinating lack of harmony that permeates the entire driving experience. Badged a Racing, some edge and zest could justifiably be expected and yet it just seems absent. The engine, the same 1.6-litre THP seen in everything from the Mini Cooper S to the Peugeot RCZ, isn't that exciting. It can be hugely amusing in the Mini and, with further development, ludicrously fast in the RCZ R but it's neither in the Citroen. It doesn't feel as revvy as in other installations, and is disappointingly quiet too.
Interior is nice, but not £29K nice
Some very rangey gear ratios (second is good for nearly 70!), allied to a rather vague and long gear shift further dull the hot hatch vibe. Going for third and feeling the lever slide up straight from second rather than slightly across is a rather unnerving experience!
A lack of verve from the drivetrain almost mandates a more relaxed style, using the engine's strong torque and enjoying top down driving with little wind interference. The latter of course especially useful for hearing the various comments about quite the kind of gentleman that drives 'DS 03 BOY'...
But this is a DS3 Racing, surely it can't be a car for mincing around in? Drive it with some commitment and it's actually far from unenjoyable. The paradox expands. It feels quite neutral, not committing to under- or oversteer particularly early and actually quite easy to find a flow with. It's less frenetic than some hot hatch rivals yet still agile, quite French in its approach at higher speeds. The ride feels a touch too harsh around town.
Well if you want a rare and expensive cabriolet...
Hit the (very good) brakes hard though and the hazard lights continue to flash for so long that you begin to believe they've been inadvertently pressed. The traction control button is buried away down by the steering column. Again, the DS3 R seems fundamentally designed to discourage spirited progress despite some genuine ability. Driving a hot hatch quickly? The temerity of it!
There are some nice details inside the Racing, the seats in particular feeling great even if they are a little too high. The dials are funky, the real carbon very cool and it feels like a good hot hatch cabin. Certainly not a £29K one however.
Citroen is legendary for its simple and uncomplicated hot hatches, of which the DS3 R cabrio patently is not. It is unclear what Citroen hopes to achieve with just 10 of the 100 open DS3 Rs coming to Britain but those coveting a Citroen hot hatch resurgence will be disappointed. After a wealth of positive reviews for the standard DS3 155, to not have built on that auspicious start is a shame. Perhaps some of the techniques employed in the C-Cactus could be applied to make a sub-tonne DS3 to evoke its illustrious hot hatch past. Or perhaps a slightly quicker C1? It called be called the GT... For now the DS3 R cabrio remains a flawed but likeable curio with Citroen still very much in the hot hatch wilderness.
CITROEN DS3 RACING CABRIOLET
Engine: 1,598cc 4-cyl turbo
Gearbox: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 207@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 203@2,000-4,500rpm
0-62mph: 6.5 secs
Top speed: 145mph
Kerbweight: 1,231kg (Citroen's quoted 'mass in service' figure)
MPG: 44.1 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 149g/km
Price: £29,305