Citroen’s hottest ever hatch is under starters orders! The 196bhp DS3 Racing, is set to get the green light at the Geneva Motor Show, and these are the first official pictures.
We outlined top-secret plans to build a performance DS3 12 months ago - and a recent leak provided exclusive spy shots
proving that the car is on the way. But as these images show, the
production version is raring to go ahead of its Geneva World debut next
month.
The hot-hatch will be highly exclusive too. With only 1,000 units scheduled to be sold when it hits showrooms later this year.
But if you do manage to get your hands on one, you won’t have much problem standing out from the crowd.
Sharing the same bold styling blueprint as the standard car, the DS3 Racing comes with a dark grey body contrasted with vibrant, bright orange-coloured roof, side mirrors, 18-inch alloy wheels, brake callipers and front grille surround with integrated orange chrome chevrons.
The Racing also gets a sporty carbon finish around the front bumper, wheel surrounds and side skirt.
Under
the bonnet there’s a more powerful version of the firms turbo-charged
1.6-litre THP (Turbo High Pressure) engine, with the Racing spec unit
capable of producing 196bhp, compared to the current DSport
range-topper, which delivers 147bhp.
This means the fastest DS3
in the line-up will take only 6.9 seconds to go from 0-62mph and will
be capable of a top speed of 140mph. This amount of power sits the
Racing between MINI’s Cooper S and JCW, both of which use a version of
the same engine, and on a level with rivals like the Renaultsport Clio 200.
And
it’s not just straight-line speed that has been fine-tuned. As well as
a 30 per cent increase in power from the same sized engine, the DS3
Racing gets adapted suspension, with both front and rear tracks gaining
30mm in width and the ride height has been lowered by 15mm too.
The front and rear dampers have also been appropriately tuned to handle the extra power. All
this results in more precision, control and sportier handling. An
enhanced braking system with 4-piston callipers incorporated into the
front discs drastically improves stopping power, while the exhaust
system has also been restyled.
On top of all this we expect the
DS3 Racing to come with its fair share of limited edition badges and
plaques, helping to further distinguish it from the rest of the range.
