Tuesday 24th August 2010

Citroen DS3 Racing To Cost (Splutter!) £23K

Limited edition hot hatch gets 207hp and lots of luxury goodies

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The Citroen Racing developed DS3 Racing will cost a whopping £23k when it goes on sale next month, boasting a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine making 207hp and laden with luxury knick-knacks.

Based on the top-of-the-range DS3 DSport THP 150, the DS3 Racing has been extensively modified by Citroen's Racing department but is no stripped-to-the-bone street-fighter. Instead, Citroen says it is significantly better specified than many of its competitors - standard equipment includes automatic digital air conditioning, Bluetooth with USB connectivity and an eight-speaker HiFi system.

'Motorsport-inspired' features, include carbon fibre components such as the rear diffuser, front bumper, side rubbing strips and wheel arch extensions, the company says. The interior has received a similar treatment with carbon fibre on the centre console, steering wheel and door inserts.

The DS3 Racing is available with either an Obsidian Black (pearlescent) body and Sport Orange roof, or a Polar White body with a Carbon Grey roof. The orange or grey roof colours are matched to the alloy wheels, door mirrors, chevrons, grille surround, tailgate spoiler and dashboard fascia.

The car has everything needed to become the benchmark in its segment in terms of dynamic performance, says Citroen, which is quite a claim with rivals like the Renaultsport Clio 200 out there already.

Engineers have increased the power output of the 1.6-litre THP engine from 156hp to 207hp, and maximum torque is also increased, from 177lb ft to 203lb ft. As a result, the car boasts a top speed of 146mph, and a 0-62mph time of 6.5secs.

The suspension settings have been modified, specific dampers have been fitted, front and rear tracks have been widened by 30mm and the ride height has been lowered by 15 mm. The braking system has also been up-rated, with 4-piston callipers and special brake discs at the front but the info we have today makes no mention of a clever torque-steer reducing suspension set-up like that employed by the Clio 200 which is £5k cheaper.

With a price of £23,100 (including 20% VAT rate as first deliveries are expected in 2011) perhaps it's not a surprise that Citroen expects only to sell 200 RHD cars in the UK.

[Horrocks]

White one looks very smart, don't know about the black and orange!

[Daniel1]

digital air-conditioning? What does it blow out? 1 & 0's?

[fathomfive]

£23k?

[sklar]

You've got to really want a Citroen to have one over a Cooper S Works.

[kambites]

Similar price to a MINI Cooper S JCW isn't it? Doesn't sound unreasonable.

[E21_Ross]

Horrocks said:

White one looks very smart, don't know about the black and orange!

agree, black and orange just says "Look at me" a little too much, for a car which isn't that fast.

[Rickeh]

'maximum torque is also increased, from 17lb ft to 203lb ft'

Wow, that's quite a jump right enough

[LuS1fer]

I saw my first DS3 the other day and it looked bloody awful especially with those STUPID LED DRLs.

[Gsink]

kambites said:

Similar price to a MINI Cooper S JCW isn't it? Doesn't sound unreasonable.

Unreasonable two moonths down the line when it starts to fall to pieces

[mnkiboy]

Rather have a Golf Gti I think.

There's no way it's £5K better than a Renaultsport Clio.

[ManOpener]

Gsink said:

kambites said:

Similar price to a MINI Cooper S JCW isn't it? Doesn't sound unreasonable.

Unreasonable two moonths down the line when it starts to fall to pieces

They look far better than the mini at least, with no air of estate agents. You can fall apart happy in the knowledge that you don't look like you sell houses for a living.

[kambites]

Gsink said:

kambites said:

Similar price to a MINI Cooper S JCW isn't it? Doesn't sound unreasonable.

Unreasonable two moonths down the line when it starts to fall to pieces

The modern Citroens I've been in have felt as well put together as any other mainstream car.

[ArtVandelay]

Gsink said:

kambites said:

Similar price to a MINI Cooper S JCW isn't it? Doesn't sound unreasonable.

Unreasonable two moonths down the line when it starts to fall to pieces

Much like the Mini?

I think Citroen have priced this competitively rather than their usual stance of being cheap and cheerful. The DS line is their luxury/niche product and as such they've priced it to compete with the likes of MINI, Audi and Alfa Romeo.

Performance sounds good and the standard car is supposed to be a good drive, rivalling the widely praised MINI. It's the same engine as the MINI and Peugeot 207 so it's just a question of whether Citroen have got their dynamics right.

[wab172uk]

I quite like the original press car's Grey and Orange car design, but £23K? Must be some kind of French joke, no?

Plus, was reading in Evo magazine, that half of the UK cars will get 205BHP while the other half will get 200BHP. Can't quite remember what the reason for it was now.

Edited by wab172uk on Monday 23 August 13:09

[Diablos-666]

I actually quiet like it but not enough to spend 23 large on it though.

[V8mate]

kambites said:

Similar price to a MINI Cooper S JCW isn't it? Doesn't sound unreasonable.

The 200bhp RCZ is over £25k, so it seems competitive with that. Clio 200 is only £15-16k though, albeit a slightly smaller car.

In that price range, I'd be buying a Megane 250 for £23k. 50 bhp more and good scope for another 50 with a few 'tweaks'.

[sklar]

Impressive machinery around 23k...

Scirocco 2.0TSI GT 210
Megane Renaultsport 250 Cup
Leon Cupra
Mazda 3 MPS
etc
etc

No wonder they think they can only sell 200.

[Ricky_M]

Rickeh said:

'maximum torque is also increased, from 17lb ft to 203lb ft'

Wow, that's quite a jump right enough

Bugger beat me to it!

[SWoll]

sklar said:

You've got to really want a Citroen to have one over a Cooper S Works.

Or really dislike the Mini Cooper S, like me.

[hornetrider]

mnkiboy said:

Rather have a Golf Gti I think.

There's no way it's £5K better than a Renaultsport Clio.

Seen the price of a Golf these days?