Paris Show: Citroën Unleashes DS3 WRC Contender

Joining the world premieres of the MINI Countryman WRC and Ford Fiesta RS WRC at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, is Citroën's all-new contender for the 2011 World Rally Championship, the DS3 WRC in full racing livery.

The French firm's replacement for the multi-championship winning C4 WRC fully complies with the new FIA regulations with power coming from a 300hp 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged engine. The car also gets a four-wheel-drive system that incorporates a six-gear sequential gearbox and front and rear mechanical differentials.

"The DS3 WRC is designed to limit the budgets required to compete in the WRC", said Citroën in a statement. "The new FIA rules ban costly materials such as titanium and carbon-fibre, and standardise certain parts like the turbocharger and limit the changes that can be made to the vehicle during its lifetime. Rally nevertheless remains a great testing ground for driving new advances in vehicle technology."

The new DS3 WRC will make racing debut at the Rally Sweden in February 2011. The French firm has already confirmed two teams of the next racing season, Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena and Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia.

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Citroen Reveals MINI Challenging DS3's 'Insides': Photos and Video Included

Taking advantage of the news-thirsty internet media, Citroen is slowly revealing new bits and pieces of its MINI rivaling DS Inside hatch that will be called DS3 when it enters production during the first quarter of 2010. Although the premium hatchback made its world debut as a thinly disguised concept at the 2009 Geneva Show in March, this is the first time that we get a chance to see the car's interior which is for the most part, production ready. The French automaker has yet to release details, but it is clear from the photos that the designers have tried to give the DS3's interior a contemporary and upscale feel.

Highlights include the two-tone leather sports seats, a neat instrument panel with three deeply-dished instrument dials, the flat bottomed three spoke steering wheel and the decorative chrome trim. Following in the footsteps of MINI, Citroen will offer DS3 buyers the chance to customize the interior with various individual options.

The DS3 that will not replace the C3 in Citroen's range, will be offered with a variety of four cylinder gasoline and diesel engines including the BMW and PSA Peugeot-Citroen developed 1.6-liter petrol unit in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms.

source: http://carscoop.blogspot.com

Citroën Releases Dating 2.0 to Help People Find a Date for The Paris Motor Show (and Market the DS3)

Ooohweee, does Citroën know how to get this pale, pajama-wearing, cries-himself-to-sleep-every-night hippie blogger interested. Screw match-dot-com, we've got a car dating service now. The French brand know for its wild and out of this world concepts (see GTbyCitroën, Survolt, Revolte, etc.) has created a new form of match-up for the car enthusiast called Dating 2.0, and it's one nifty little time-waster.

Just be aware that the first step is asking your preference, not what you are. Don't make the same mistake I did and wind up looking at a dude in boxer briefs. Well, unless that's your thing, in which case go for it.

I, on the other hand, went with classy, busty, and shapely for my little lady and ended up with a "beautiful, alluring, and enigmatic" fish supper-enjoying mermaid and a red DS3. Yeah, I thought it was weird, too, so I tried it again...and it got even weirder.

Next, I chose funny, toned, and sporty (or something thereabouts) and ended up with a dominatrix-looking chick in leather with "a dominant personality and a unique dress sense". And...and...she's wearing a studded collar with a friggin' leash.

Try out this Dating 2.0 (link below) for yourself and leave your kinky results in the comments below. As for me, I'm off to the store to snag some furry handcuffs.

By Phil Alex

Link: Citroën Dating 2.0