Citroën has unleashed an all-new contender for the 2011 World Rally Championship - the Citroën DS3 WRC, the hotly anticipated replacement for the multi-championship winning C4 WRC.

Aggressive, dynamic and packed with ‘Créative Technologie’, the DS3 WRC represents the efforts of Citroën Racing to push performance to the limit during its development, whilst complying with the new FIA regulations. After five WRC manufacturer’s and six consecutive driver’s titles for Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, Citroën is out to extend its run of success with the DS3 WRC.

More compact than its predecessor, the Citroën DS3 WRC boasts the same powerful lines as the production DS3, although they are emphasised by the cooling vents and aerodynamic parts designed to improve road holding at high speeds. Under the bonnet, the 300hp 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged engine was conceived from start to finish by Citroën Racing. The four-wheel-drive transmission incorporates a six-gear sequential gearbox and front and rear mechanical differentials.

DS3 WRC is designed to limit the budgets required to compete in the WRC. 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 icy stages of Rally Sweden in February 2011 are expected to give the model its first taste of competitive action. Two teams - Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena and Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia - have already been confirmed for the 2011 World Rally Championship.