Citroen took the wraps off their new weapon for World Rally Championship (WRC) at their home motorshow in Paris. It’s the Citroen DS3 WRC, and when it reports to duty in 2011 season, it’s going to have a really tough job helping the Schumacher of WRC, Sebastien Loeb, defending the team’s reputation as the undisputed champion of world rallying.

Due to the new WRC rules, the DS3 has to be powered by a four-cylinder, 1600cc turbocharged direct injection engine with an power output of around 300 bhp. The downsizing in engines is to reduce the overall fuel consumption in the sport. And while it gets six-speed sequential gearbox and all-wheel-drive system, semi-automatic controls and the central differential are now prohibited. Now this rule is to keep the costs low. There’s just too many rules here!

Citroen DS3 WRC is set to make its official competitive debut at Rally Sweden (10-13 February), the first round of the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship.

Check out the car’s technical specs after the pictures…

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

CHASSIS
Structure Reinforced body with weleded, multi-point roll cage
Bodywork Steel and composite fibre

ENGINE
Type Citroen Racing – 1.6-litre turbocharged direct injection engine
Bore x stroke 82×75.5mm
Capacity 1,598cc
Maximum power 300bhp at 6,000rpm
Maximum torque 350Nm at 3,250rpm
Specific output 188bhp/litre
Ditribution Double overhead camshaft valve train driven by timing belt
4 valves per cylinder
Fuel feed Direct injection controlled by Magneti Marelli SRP-HP unit

CLUTCH
Type Cerametallic twin-disk

TRANSMISSION
Type Four-wheel drive
Gearbox Sadev six-speed sequential
Control Manual
Differential Front and rear mechanical, auto-locking

BRAKES
Front Ventilated disks, 355mm (tarmac) and 300mm (gravel)
Water-cooled 4-piston callipers (tarmac)
Rear Ventilated disks, 300mm
4-piston callipers
Distribution Adjustable from cockpit
Handbrake Hydraulic control

SUSPENSION
Front McPherson type
Rear McPherson type
Shock absorbers Citroen Racing four-way adjustable shock absorbers
(low- and high-speed compression and rebound)

STEERING
Type Hydraulic power-assisted steering

WHEELS
Tarmac 8×18’’ wheels
Gravel and snow 7×15’’ wheels

DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES
Length 3,948mm
Width 1,820mm
Wheel base 2,461mm
Track 1,618mm (front and rear)
Fuel tank 75 litres
Weight 1,200kg with driver pairing (regulations)