RE: Citroen need help making a C3 WRC

[Toltec]

Put the engine in the back to drive the rear wheels with an electric motor for the front wheels, rear seats aren't needed for a rally rep.

I like the above ideas of raised suspension and crossclimates too.

Actually forget WRC and go for a more Dakar look.

Am I doing this right?

[RacerMike]

51mes said:

It's a rally car - why the cup2's should we not think of some bad weather capability - something like cross climates, white wheels (keep them under 16") as said before - and pump it up a little throw some decent seats (rob em from the DS3), remove a little sound proofing and add a bit of protective bling - install a tuneful exhaust and wastegate to allow you to get noise through from the turbo

Engine - hmm they only seem to do the 110 Puretech -use the THP 210 from the DS3 (manual only unfortunately) or tune a bit of performance at least from the puretech there is a 130 engine?

I'd probably go auto - though don't know if there is a box to suit but put flappy paddles and make an effort with the gearstick making it look like a sequential shifter . Also you can't have a rally car without a proper handbrake!

Now I notice a lack of AWD (unless it's been done in partnership with Mitsubishi) so this may not be an easy direction of travel.. though the Grip control modes from the C4 Cactus may be of interest?

Again as said before red belts - and some jazzy software to go on the infotainment system (lateral g, lap stopwatch/split time etc) - also only offer it in red/white/blue to match the rally car..

Citroen C3 - RallyeSport. ;-)

S.

Why would it necessarily need stuff they've already used on other cars? Haldex or GKN Twinster rear diffs exist. Only issues with that are they'd need a new rear subframe and potentially body in white changes to accommodate the pro-shaft. Ultimately depends how bespoke the thing is though. If it was made off line and limited to a thousand or so cars (and 35-40k), it'd potentially be possible.

[Mercury00]

drifterelite said:

IMO I'd rather see them trying the funky warm hatch market instead, take their C1 and the aforementioned 3008 130bhp 1.2, mush them together, put all the TCS/STM/ABS on a switch that you can leave off. Lower the car a bit, put it on some chunky 195/45/15 alloy wheels, give it a more prominent spoiler and some other sporty exterior bits, lose a bit of weight somewhere, give it a sporty exhaust to allow people to hear the rather rorty 3 pot note and voila, a proper warm hatch again!

Citroen, hire this man! This is something I'd buy.

[anonymous-user]

I would imagine if Citroen are using the C3 in the WRC it would only make sense to have the road car the same.

Take the C3 and fit the DS4 130 BHP Pure Tech Engine into it with the manual gearbox.

Personally I would prefer a car that handled very well and had great feel instead of just pure performance.

Fit a set of sach dampers and go back to non electric steering.

Put on a tasteful body kit and some WRC branding stickers but not as nuts as a Evo Makinen

Stick a set of the below on the car





The standard C3 is known for having vague steering and body roll in the corners so this is what I would fix and just add some rally themed styling.

[RyanTank]

use of a less ugly car as a base would be a start!! I find the C3 hideous and its not much better in full on WRC mode, definitely a face only a mother could love! And i'd rather they fixed the WRC car before trying to make a homage to an under performing model

Short of sticking bigger arches, lairy wing, stickers and tarmac style O.Z. rims on it they will struggle to make it as marketable as they'd like.

What we say we want -

• big arches
• big wing
• stripped out interior
• racing bucket seats
• 230bhp+ turbo engine
• racing harnesses instead of belts
• big rims (not available as standard equivalent) - in grey or white
• sticky tyres

What we'll get

• plastic arch extensions
• limited edition number plaque
• seats with pretty stitching or WRC embossed logo
• huge infotainment screen with C3WRC image and logo
• C3 WRC sound emulator - like the option they offer in the current Clio.
• 1.1 turbo eco wheezer or PSA diesel option
• fancy interior and exterior colour co-ordinated trim & stickers.
• standard option issue alloys in black with coloured highlights.

• disappointment on the same level as the "By Loeb" edition wk they put out 10 years ago. they had so much potential to market a legendary special edition car back then but stuffed it up by just putting stickers and white wheels on the already available C4 VTS. offering it with a HDI engine summed it up for me.

If you really want a WRC replica - buy a knackered evo and mate it to this already available chassis http://rallycarsforsale.net/ads/citroen-c3-proto-c...

[Greg 172]

Making a warm-hatch C3 seems a massive waste of a marketing opportunity - did they not leanrt from the Loeb Edition bilge? Either do it properly and strip a bit of weight, wider track with arch extensions and maybe a bit more power (although not really neccasery). Nothing needs to be extreme, but it should be more than paint and stickers.

Otherwise, as others have said, go for a proper C1 warm-hatch as they don't already have one? With the Up GTi on its way there must be a market there?

Definately white wheels though. Remember years ago in Madeira seeing a red mid-spec Clio, but on white wheels it looked liked it had just escaped from a special stage!

[TooMany2cvs]

One thing nobody's mentioned yet...

With or without the bubblewrap?

Hmm... Could fill the bubblewrap with helium for a weight advantage.

[Krikkit]

Why not something like this?

1.6 Prince engine from the 308GTI, 250+hp
4WD
Stiffer suspension (raid the 308GTI parts bin)
Bucket seats (again, raid the 308GTI parts bin)
Funky bodywork inspired by the actual WRC car

Probably won't happen though!

[ArnageWRC]

Anyone following the WRC this season must surely be laughing at the suggestion that Citroen aren't totally sure about how to build a road going WRCar. They can't get their C3 WRCar to work; sort that out, then think about a road car.

[Slippydiff]

Well the first thing to do is admit the C3 is an ugly POS and hopeless WRC car..... Having done that, convince the board the DS3 needs to be put back into production

Then build a 500 of these stating they're a "Limited Edition" to celebrate "Happier times" :



with 4WD, 350hp and the option of manual or dual clutch transmission. Sell 'em for the same price as a Focus RS. And offer a factory approved upgrade to 400hp/Ohlins and Cup 2's for silly money too.

When the first 500 have sold out (and trust me, they would), release the Seb Loeb Limited Edition (another 500 with special OZ wheels, horrible embroidered seats and cheap stickers (both the latter optional).

When they've sold out announce the Chris Meeke Limited Edition. It would be a similar concept to the Robert Kubica limited edition

:http://sniffpetrol.com/2014/04/28/ford-announces-kubica-special-edition/#.WV620YjyuUk

but the KMLE comes with a bumper sticker that says "It's not good enough" ....

Job jobbed. Next.

[AussieFozzy]

Done

[Mistrale]

I think Citroen should go back to the formula that made them a huge success with young drivers a few years ago:

A hot hatch VTR version to get the limelight.

A cold hatch VTS version - visually identical, free insurance for young drivers etc.

This model got so many youngsters into Citroens!!

I like the idea of a C1 Rallye though - stripped out, light weight, not too much power but a hoot to drive - like the old Peugeot 106

[pugfan]

Mistrale said:

I think Citroen should go back to the formula that made them a huge success with young drivers a few years ago:

A hot hatch VTR version to get the limelight.

A cold hatch VTS version - visually identical, free insurance for young drivers etc.

This model got so many youngsters into Citroens!!

I like the idea of a C1 Rallye though - stripped out, light weight, not too much power but a hoot to drive - like the old Peugeot 106

VTR was the cold/warm hatch and VTS was the hot one!

Given just how dire the WRC car has been, could they actually be trusted to make something capable of staying on the road?

[Onehp]

Seriously, there is little point trying to compete with hot hatches, already so much offerings. Unless you can do the full blown WRC experience but that would cost way too much.

What I seriously miss in the market are small cars with SERIOUS suspension (well all cars except perhaps a Ford Raptor). One of the things I enjoy most on WRC is how those low looking cars can take HUGE bumps completely unfussed. Citroen was once famous for their compliant suspension together with good handling, I remember loaning a friends mums Xsara 1.4 and really flying over speed humps and flying through bumpy corners, great fun! (stay safe please kids, don't try this at home!).

So something light and affordable as suggested before, minimal equipement, but some serious roadholding and WRC inspired suspension with lots of (negative) travel, hydraulic bump stops and dual spring rates that makes all other warm and hot hatch suspension look like antiquated unusable live axle blade spring suspension... and some big mudflaps so you don't mind taking it down some less clean roads...

[DecMcClure]

We're going to end up with another "C4 by Loeb" kind of thing, aren't we?

• Sigh*

[forzaminardi]

I'm not sure on the technical spec in terms of a compromise between performance and cost, but it should DEFINITELY look as close as feasible to the WRC car in terms of the bodywork (with the option to take or leave the more extreme wings etc). And a special edition painted in the 'real' WRC colours including sponsors would help (no one except the press office would spec it, but it would ram home the point in showrooms and the media).

[jayemdoubleu]

This could be a great opportunity to relaunch the Visa name, using it for warm hatches. All lighter, simpler, keener steering, slightly more power. Using existing cars in the range, strip out all the excessive rubbish and drop in a slightly breathed on version of one of their engines.
Start with the C3, use the 1.2 130bhp Puretech engine, something close to a tonne, smallish wheels with actual sidewalls instead of rubber bands.
And stickers! The car must come with stickers/decals of some description. Shout to the world that your car is slightly faster, lighter and better.

[SuperBaaaad]

Massive arches, massive spoiler, stripped interior, cage, <1000kg, huge turbo and anti-lag.

[xjay1337]

All of these suggestions from people as to what the car should be.... I bet not a single one of you would actually buy it.

[Richard Aucock]

Dovile said:

spec;

• based maybe on mid-level 'feel' trim instead of top-spec 'flair', to do away with things like auto lights and wipers, fog lights, tinted rear windows........ the frontfacing camera could stay as an option
• 130ps 1.2petrol...........no diesel options allowed

looks;

• white alloys! even the standard items, just refinished in white... why so many cars come with chrome on window lines/grilles, and diamond finish for the wheels nowadays?! looks ste.
• RED SEATBELTS
• availability of non-metallic red paint colour with decal package to closer resemble the wrc car........kind of like mitsubishi evo 6 tme had as an option.

as for the trim level naming issue.....if citroen cannot use anything directly wrc-related through copyrights or w/e, then maybe they could revive nameplates of their past - they used to have faster specials decades ago (some even were for homologation), for citroen visa, which also was 5-door-only hatch

visa trophee


visa 1000 pistes- named after a rally.......well, if skoda can use 'monte-carlo'.......


citroen chrono


drapeau - uk-only, non-performance special edition, word meaning flag


.........to name but a few. they also had the c2 gt.

Those are MAGIC archive pix – thanks for sharing!