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| Category | World Rally Car | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Citroën Racing | ||||||||
| Predecessor | Citroën Xsara Kit Car | ||||||||
| Successor | Citroën C4 WRC | ||||||||
| Technical specifications[1] | |||||||||
| Length | 4,167 mm (164.1 in) | ||||||||
| Width | 1,770 mm (69.7 in) | ||||||||
| Height | 1,390 mm (54.7 in) | ||||||||
| Axle track | 1,568 mm (61.7 in) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,555 mm (100.6 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | 1,998 cc (121.9 cu in)I4turbo charge Front transverse | ||||||||
| Transmission | Six-speed sequential 4-wheel drive | ||||||||
| Power | 315 brake horsepower (235 kW) @ 5,500 rpm 569 newton-metres (420 lbf⋅ft) @ 2,750 rpm | ||||||||
| Weight | 1,230 kg (2,711.7 lb) | ||||||||
| Lubricants | Total | ||||||||
| Tyres | |||||||||
| Competition history (WRC) | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | |||||||||
| Notable drivers | |||||||||
| Debut |  2001 Rally Catalunya | ||||||||
| First win |  2001 Tour de Corse | ||||||||
| Last win |  2006 Cyprus Rally | ||||||||
| Last event | 2010 Rallye de France | ||||||||
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| Constructors' Championships | 3 (2003,2004,2005) | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 3 (2004,2005,2006) | ||||||||
TheCitroën Xsara WRC is aWorld Rally Car built for theCitroën World Rally Team byCitroën Racing to compete in theWorld Rally Championship. It is based on theCitroën Xsara road car. The car was introduced for the2001 World Rally Championship season and has taken the first three of nine drivers' titles forSébastien Loeb, as well as the manufacturers' title in2003,2004, and2005.
The XsaraWorld Rally Car, based on the road going Xsara hatchback but ultimately having very little resemblance to it under the skin, was one of the most successful cars ever to compete in theWorld Rally Championship. In 1999, the WRCs predecessor, the two wheel drive naturally aspirated Xsara Kit Car, won overall inRallye Catalunya andTour de Corse.
This car was considered the best car in the class. The latePhilippe Bugalski placed seventh overall and won the Kit Car F2 class.
In 2001, the Kit Cars category disappeared and was replaced by the Super 1600 and Super 2000. Citroën Xsara competed in the category of World Rally Car.[2] In 2002, French driverSébastien Loeb was supposed to win the Monte Carlo Rally but he was penalized for an illegal tyre change, but he later won the Deutschland Rally.
In 2003, Citroën partook their first full championship season, with Loeb joined by former championsColin McRae andCarlos Sainz. The Xsara was more competitive, winning four rallies, and both Loeb and Sainz went into the final round of the season, the Wales Rally GB, with a chance at winning the drivers title. After championship rivalRichard Burns suffered a blackout and withdrew from the rally, and Sainz crashed out on day one, Citroën chose to prioritise winning the manufacturers' title, which they did by 15 points. Loeb finished the rally in second and lost the drivers title by one point toPetter Solberg. In 2004, Loeb won his first drivers championship and successfully defended his title in 2005, winning a record ten rallies in a single season.[3]
Sébastien Loeb won 28 rallies with the car, three consecutiveDriver's Championship titles from2004 to2006, andCitroën to three consecutiveManufacturer's Championship titles in2003,2004, and2005.[4] In addition to Leob piloting the Xsara WRC,Jesús Puras,Carlos Sainz, andFrançois Duval have also driven it to win since its 2001 conception.[3]
The car was replaced in 2007 by theCitroën C4 WRC, however the Xsara was still used by privateers and others. World champion of2003,Petter Solberg drove a 2006 spec Xsara for the majority of the season of2009, which was entered by his ownPetter Solberg World Rally Team.[5]
Kenneth Hansen won theFIA European Rallycross Championship every year from 2000 to 2005.[6]
In September 2014, French based Lebanese businessmanNabil Karam entered the2014 World RX of France with an Xsara, finishing 34th out of 37 entrants after the qualifying heats, and failing to qualify for the semi-finals. Having upgraded to a DS3 for the edition of2015, this is the only time an Xsara has been used in aFIA World Rallycross Championship event.
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| Preceded by | Autosport Rally Car of the Year 2003, 2004, 2005 | Succeeded by |
A marque ofStellantis | ||||||||
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