The DS3’s of the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team are set to feature new liveries, and a revised aerodynamic package at the Rally de Portugal (21-24 May).
Citroën states that the new look livery of the DS 3 WRC features a geometric shapes to ‘create an appealing new signature’, whilst touches of fluorescent green below the headlamps, around the bumper-mounted air outlets and on the rear spoiler add to the car’s visual appeal.
Portugal will also see the next phase of upgrades introduced on the DS3. In a bid to improve the DS3’s aerodynamic efficiency, the car will feature a redesigned front bumper and wings, which are claimed to lower drag and increase downforce.
An initial series of upgrades were made to the DS 3 WRC for Rallye Monte-Carlo: a new turbocharged 1.6-litre direct injection engine derived from the Citroën C-Elysée WTCC, semi-automatic gearbox controls, a rear spoiler with vertical winglets and a redesigned rear suspension.
“Citroën Racing hasn’t stopped working on the development of DS 3 WRC since the current regulations were introduced in 2011,” explained Yves Matton, Citroën Racing team principal. “If you take the new features unveiled in January and this second batch, this is the most significant upgrade since the DS 3 WRC was first homologated. We’ve already seen that the work of the team is bearing fruit. So to that extent, the recent one-two at Rally Argentina has just made everyone even more motivated. The aerodynamic upgrades introduced here should help us to keep improving. Confirmed during wind tunnel and pre-event testing, the gains achieved in terms of drag coefficient and downforce are significant. For the 60th anniversary of the brand, we also felt it was important to share the values of DS through a new graphic identity. So far, the reactions of the people who have had a sneak preview of the car have been extremely positive.”
