One month before the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship gets underway at Rallye Monte Carlo, Citroën Racing officially unveils its C3 WRC in Abu Dhabi.
Complying with the new FIA regulations, which sees the introduction of a new generation of World Rally Cars, the C3 WRC heralds the return of Citroën, with eight manufacturers’ titles and no fewer than 96 wins to the brand’s name. For the 2017 season, the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT will enter between two and four C3 WRCs for its crews; Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle, Craig Breen/Scott Martin, Stéphane Lefebvre/Gabin Moreau and Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi/Chris Patterson.
The Citroën C3 WRC’s muscular and unique design is immediately striking. Like the production of New C3, the WRC bristles with freshness end energy, backed by rugged strength.
The aerodynamic changes, made possible by the less restrictive regulations, actively contribute to the performance of the car. The downforce generated by the aerodynamic features help to increase the stability of the car at high speeds, whilst the air vents provide cooling for the engine, the transmission and the brakes.
Before settling on the final bodywork design, several versions were tested, as evident by the range of photographs taken over previous months.
The high-standing front end is strong and compelling, giving a powerful impression of robustness with a horizontally balanced outline right through from the middle. It also features Citroën’s characteristic
two-tier front light signature, the double chrome bar underlining the chevrons that extends out to the LED daytime running lights. The centrepiece of the car’s aerodynamic performance, the bumper incorporates a splitter and winglets, which generate downforce and reduce understeer. The lower part is different on the tarmac and gravel versions. The air intakes supply cool air to the radiator, the turbo intercooler and the brakes. Hot air is expelled by the air scoops located on the bonnet and at the bottom of the front wings.
Looking at the side, the first detail you notice is the floating roof held by the black windscreen pillars. The Citroën C3 WRC’s protective function is shown clearly by the balanced proportion between body panels and glazed surfaces. Lower down, the vehicle stands out thanks to the wide body sills that channel the lateral flow of air. The air vents located on the rear doors are used to cool the brakes and similar to the front, hot air is expelled via the bottom of the wings.
The rear bumper has been carefully designed to boost the expulsion of gravel and snow on loose surfaces. These aerodynamic forms are echoed in the 3D rear lights, which lend a unique, high-tech identity to New Citroën C3. Crowned by the centrally-positioned exhaust pipe, the rear diffuser provides even further downforce by expelling the flow of air that passes underneath the car.
Lastly, a spectacular rear spoiler completes the aerodynamic system. It consists of a lower “shovel” and a more complex upper level. For increased efficiency, the spoiler assembly is set back and raised by 50mm compared with the previous regulations.
