Citroen can't give its cars away 'cos they've got the looks of a bulldog licking p1ss off a nettle, and they're slow.

Surely a good way to boost the image would be to launch a road version of the WRC car?

Don't forget, Subaru made cars for farmers and district nurses before the Impreza turbo (yes, I know the Lego turbo was available before but who'd ever heard of Subaru?).

I just think it's bizarre that the company goes to the massive expense of running a very successful WRC campaign, then doesn't go the extra mile and make a version punters can buy.

Is it 'cos they is French? ;)

Same with the Pug though!

Imagine a 220bhp awd Pug on the road! :D

You can by a WRC Pug. 300 Bhp and for a mere £1000 per bhp as well. Look on the Pug web site and they are for sale. I do agree they ought to do a realistically priced AWD version though. Had a GTi 140 and the wheels would spin in 3rd. Tried a 180, no wheel spin but the TC was working its nuts off most of the time, felt slower than the 140.

[Edited by OllyK - 12/24/2003 11:29:03 AM]

I always thought that and thiought a WRC Accent from Hyundai would be a good image booster for them too.

206 WRC looks great and I'm sure the and the Xsara would sell pretty well.



AllanB

All the platforms the cars are based on are FWD, hence why there is no Focus 4x4 either until they move to the new platform next year.

Manufacturers don't want the added expense of designing a 4wd system if they only want to make "shopping cars". Ford have gone AWD as they want to produce a Focus C-Max "soft roader" and other cars based on the platform will use AWD (eg. Volvo)

From AutoExpress: The C1 floorpan will also underpin the Mazda 3, forthcoming Volvo V50 and even the next Land Rover Freelander. The platform's versatility means cars can also be front, rear or even four-wheel drive.

The reason why Subaru (& Mitsubishi) offers performance versions of Impreza & Legacy is cos of the Group A rules. They must make at least 5000 units of roadgoing turbocharged 4x4 cars in order to be able to compete in WRC then.
There's no need for Citroen or Peugeot to make roadgoing versions of their WR cars, as it's not a requirement now.

My mates got a Xsara VTS Coupe and its 2.0 16v engine produces 167bhp as standard. Thats a good power output, 0-60 is about 7-8sec and it will do 140mph. Hardly crap is it!!!! Hardly a contender for the Civic Type-R but theres not much else to rival it is there!

0-60 is about 7-8sec and it will do 140mph

Pretty much any performance 2 litre will give figures like that, off the top of my head an astra gsi old shape does 0-60 in 7.5 and top end just shy 140 mph. These can be bought for around 2k.

I would say theres plenty of rivals out there for the power and performance you are stating.

0-60 7.7sec.

Yeah i know what your saying, but the latest SRi only has 144bhp and does 0-60 in 8sec, 133mph top end.

the gsi 0-60 differs from low sevens to high 7s depending on where you look.

Isnt the sri range 1.8i 16v or 2.2i 16v twin-cam engines - or the turbocharged and intercooled 2.0DTi 16v diesel unit. And i think there was a limited run of 500 2.2 sri turbos.

I was referring to the 2.0 16v but yeah what youve said is correct!!

Ah! the 500 Turbos were 2.0!!!

yer the 500 were 2 litre not 2.2 and were a stop gap til the gsi turbo.
0-60 7.5 and 152 mph