Citroens new C4 WRC

[touringlegend]

I have to say it looks a stunning car. There's actually a "real" picture in Autosport this week. Very Focus like but a bit longer.

From wrc.com:

Current World Rally Championship manufacturers’ title holder Citroen is pushing ahead with plans to develop the successor to its all-conquering Xsara WRC.

A World Rally Car based on the C4 hatchback could break cover as early as this autumn, before making its competition debut midway through the 2005 season, according to this week’s Autosport magazine. The car is likely to undergo an extensive testing campaign before being used on events to avoid the reliability problems that have plagued Peugeot with the new 307 this year, and various components for the car have apparently already been tested.

“The study for the C4 is already 90 percent complete,” said Citroen technical director Claude Vaucard. “The first prototype will run some time in the autumn. We have some work to do. The new car will be bigger, as per the regulations, but there are some parts that carry over from the Xsara. The engine is similar, but parts around the engine are different.”

Citroen has pledged not to halt development of the existing Xsara WRC, however, despite its recent impressive pace on gravel and historic success on asphalt. Further changes to the car and a 2005 homologation are expected to still be developed – a move which will no doubt please current drivers’ championship leader Sebastien Loeb.

“The current car is still not perfect,” he said after last weekend’s victory in Turkey. “We have to keep moving forward and develop the car, otherwise the others will come past.”

It's good to see that they'll be testing it to cure reliability first, but then, weren't Peugeot out well early last year with the 307 CC WRC??

[Kicking-back]

If it goes as well as it looks, then it'll be first-rate.

[Cryos]

its buckigham palace on wheels! its massive 307cc isnt an small car either but

What happened to the C3 they were looking into using it ?

[BertMk2]

Not sure if the C3 is too small? The regulations have been changed to make manufacturers use bigger cars - the 206 is smaller than the regs for a new car would allow so maybe the C3 suffered from the same problem.

[429CJ]

It's almost the shape of this Citroën SM Proto form 1973.

[Kicking-back]

Don't really see the resemblance myself

[touringlegend]

Can see the resemblance in the bonnet...off to hunt for a similar C4 pic..

[Cryos]

hmm see it myself,

the C3 is not alot smaller than an 307cc tho it is taller and slighly smaller lenght ways..

[429CJ]

Originally posted by Kicking-back
Don't really see the resemblance myself

It's the roofline and sharply cut rear.