Remember earlier this year when Citroen confessed it needed a bit of help
with a hot hatch project
? It sounded bizarre, for two reasons: not only had Citroen never delivered a hot hatch to capitalise on its incredible WRC success, it hadn't really done a genuinely exciting small hot hatch since the Saxo VTS.
Still, the suggestions rolled in and now the latest comments from CEO Linda Jackson - reported
by Autocar
- are suggesting that a new pocket rocket Citroen might still happen. While saying that she would "like to see some links between the C3 on road and track" is hardly a commitment to a new model, it does signal some intent; Kris Meeke winning in Spain recently won't have harmed the C3's cause either.
Product planning boss Xavier Peugeot - and yes, that really is his name - has suggested that a bridge should be made between the road car and the competition car, but with Citroen elements to it and not simply loads more power. What exactly that means we don't know yet - hydropneumatic suspension? A single-spoke steering wheel? Yellow foglamps? Let's see.
Evidently the prospect of a faster C3 continues to be discussed, but without making a great deal of progress. Hopefully the imminent arrival of the new Polo GTI and Fiesta ST may expedite the process a little, plus the WRC-inspired Yaris GRMN. Another small French hot hatch in the world has to be a good thing, doesn't it?
Inspired? Buy a Citroen C3 here