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Battle of the Sports Hatches: Fifth Gear compares the Citroen DS3 with the Honda CR-Z
They may not post the fastest ‘north to 60’ times in automotive history, but the Citroen DS3 and the Honda CR-Z are two sports hatches that have their own redeeming qualities. For starters, they’re more fuel-efficient than sports coupes, they’re both aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and in the case of the CR-Z, it’s a hybrid. Everybody loves hybrids these days so the CR-Z has that going for it, even though Honda is now creating a petrol version of the vehicle to increase sales.. Having said that, Fifth Gear’s Tiff Needell decided to give the two sports hatches a nice little shakedown around the track to determine which of the two hatches has the leg up over its competitor. After their own individual lap times, Needell came to a number of conclusions. First, if you’re looking for a car that’s packed with power and speed, these two cars aren’t going to satisfy your lust for thrills. Second, where they lack in speed they make up for in efficiency, especially the CR-Z, which has an electrical motor that adds 14 horsepower to the car’s gas engine that produces 112 horsepower. Third, the Citroen DS3 eventually proved to be a better ride than the CR-Z, proving that despite the times we are living in, old school technology can still one-up its more high-tech counterpart.
2013 Citroen DS Compact Coupe
 
After the DS3 and DS4, Citroen has announced that there will more DS versions launched in the near future, including a sports car based on the Survolt concept. And now that Citroen has dropped plans for a production version of the GT Concept, the future DS sports car will be the only high performance model Citroen will offer. We don’t expect the production model to follow the concept that closely as we have already picked up on a few changes that will be made, but we are hoping that the overall look and performance of the production model will be just as good, if not better, than the concept. And with Citroen targeting younger customers looking for more than just a simple sports car, we can only imagine that it will be. Look for Citroen’s only sports car to debut sometime in 2012 with sales starting as early as 2013. Hit the jump for more details. Full story 2010 Citroen C3 Picasso "BLACKCHERRY" Edition
Put a cherry on top of this special-edition Citroen C3 Picasso because it sure as heck is mouth-watering. The French automaker already has a slew of special edition models for the C3 Picasso, but the company figured that there’s no harm in adding another member to the family. So that being said, feast your eyes on this cherry-popping ride straight from the C3 Picasso family, the “BLACKCHERRY”. If first impressions could kill, then this hot hatch should be tried for murder. While the car’s technical specs aren’t exactly what you’d call a game changer – a 1.6-liter turbo diesel engine that produces 90 horsepower doesn’t really strike fear in anyone – the overall look of the car, especially the spectacular use of the two-tone cherry red and glossy black finish, is cherry hotness personified. The exterior paint is complimented by the same use of the two colors for the car’s interior detailing, as well as on the side mirrors, the roof rails, and even on the wheels. Speaking of the wheels, there’s nothing mundanely ordinary about those, either. Keeping up to the overall theme of the BLACKCHERRY, Citroen used a set of 17-inch cherry red diamond-tipped alloy wheels on the special edition hatchback, providing a fitting completion to one hot piece of hatchback – a cherry on top of the sundae, if you will. Although the number of C3 Picasso BLACKCHERRY models wasn’t announced, the car is expected to come with a sticker price of £15,195 – about $24,000 at the current exchange rates. Press Release after the jump Full story 2012 Citroen DS9 Preview
 Citroen has long been in the shadows of the Germans. This is partly because their cars have been horribly unreliable and partly because they just weren’t as good to drive. But the French automaker is going to try and change all of that with their new luxury machine, the DS9. The DS9, which is based off of the Metropolis concept, is the company’s attempt to move up market and challenge the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7-Series, Jaguar XJ, and the Audi A8. Another reason for this new machine is that Citroen is planning on entering Asia with this vehicle, as it’s the first design carried out at the company’s Shanghai-based design team. It was first created in May of 2010 and Citroen hopes that it will show Chinese buyers that they can rival the higher-end products from the Germans. Hit the jump to read on and see some new pictures of the DS9. Full story Citroen prepares Golf R competitor
Citroen’s future plans includes more DS versions, including a DS Roadster based on Citroen Survolt concept. Today we have details on a new DS model that will compete with model like Audi S3, the Volkswagen Golf R and the Ford Focus ST. The new model will be called DS4 Racing (or Sport) and is descried as a "hybridized DS4 model." This new model will combine a 1.6 liter turbocharged engine with 200 HP and with a 95 HP electric motor on the rear axle. The result for this all-wheel drive sport model is a total output of 295 HP. This new hybrid system is similar to the PSA Group’s diesel HYbrid4 set-up or perhaps it will de derived from the new front-wheel drive hybrid system PSA Group is developing with BMW. The new DS4 Racing is expected to make its world debut sometime in 2013, after the standard DS4 will go on sale in 2011.
Citroen Survolt into production as DS Roadster
We already knew that Citroen had plans for more DS versions, including a sports car, but we didn’t know until now that the Survolt actually previewed the future DS Roadster. The current DS line-up includes the DS3 and DS4, and Citroen has confirmed an open top version of the DS3. But while the Survolt Concept featured a 200kw electric motor, we expect to see a conventional power plant– although a hybrid is entirely possible - for the next DS Roadster. The concept features a tubular chassis, a flat underside with an extractor, and full carbon bodywork. As for capabilities, the Survolt can produce a 0-60 mph time of just a shade under five seconds with a top speed of 162 mph. Like all the other DS models, the Roadster will be distinguished by striking LED lights, a chrome-finished waistline surrounding dark tinted windows, muscular wheel arches, a tautly drawn roofline with a spoiler, a chrome rear bumper, and light clusters highlights.
2010 Citroen Survolt Artcar
After making its first racing debut on the legendary Le Mans circuit, the Citroen Survolt has received a little head-to-toe makeover courtesy of the dynamic Francoise Nielly. Unlike Jeff Koons and Damien Hirst, who are tremendous artists in their ow regard, Nielly’s work encompasses the creativity and incandescent colors found in the style of art cars, leaving the task of turning the Survolt into a Nielly masterpiece as a beautifully simple one. Francoise Nielly uses a variety of fluorescent colors combined with contrasting curved lines and sculpted flanks to "reclaim the light and offer a different reading of the car running 100% power of the brand", says the manufacturer for the Rafters. Broken down, this mean that most of the coloring is found on the front of the car with a gradual decrease of color flowing towards the back. This keeps the eye focused on the most powerful view of the vehicle. The Citroen Survolt measures at 3.85m long, 1.87.m wide, and 1.2m high and weighs in at just 1,150 kg. It comes with a tubular chassis, a flat underside with an extractor, and full carbon bodywork. As for capabilities, the Survolt is powered solely by electricity and can produce a 0-60 mph time of just a shade under five seconds with a top speed of 162 mph. The Survolt Artcar will be displayed in the C42 showroom, in Champs-Elysees, Paris. Video: Citroen DS3 WRC
After making its world debut at the Paris Auto Show, the new DS3 WRC is now getting shown off in a promotional video from Citroen that displays what the car is capable of. In this video, the DS3 WRC is testing in Algarve and is being driven by Sebastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia. The DS3 WRC is powered by a 1.6-liter direct-injection turbocharged engine that delivers 300 HP. It also features cooling vents and aerodynamic parts designed to improve road holding at high speeds. The four-wheel-drive transmission incorporates a six-gear sequential gearbox and front and rear mechanical differentials. The new model will replace the C4 WRC in the 2011 World Rally Championship. Official debut will be made at the Rally Sweden in February 2011. There will be two teams entering the competition: Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena and Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia.
Citroen DS line-up will include a sports car
Next to the DS3 and DS4, the newly launched Citroen DS line-up will include a series of new models, including a sports car said the company boss Frederic Banzet at the Paris Auto Show. Talking to AutoCar he said that a sports car is seriously taken under consideration. But until we’ll have the chance to see it on the streets we will see more derivatives of the DS3. And the first of them will be a soft-top DS3. Citroen’s DS models are distinguished by: striking LED light, a chrome-finished waistline surrounding dark tinted windows, muscular wheel arches, tautly drawn roofline with a spoiler for added vitality, chrome rear bumper and light clusters highlights. The DS3 model gets a 1.6 turbo THP engine that delivers a total of 155 HP, while the DS4 will get a HDi 110 engine combined with Citroen’s micro-hybrid e-HDi technology. The two models will go on sale in 2011. 2011 Citroen DS3 WRC
Citroen has unveiled the DS3 WRC rally car at the Paris Auto Show. This new model will replace the C4 WRC in the 2011 World Rally Championship. Official debut will be made at the Rally Sweden in February 2011. There will be two teams entering the competition: Sébastien Loeb / Daniel Elena and Sébastien Ogier / Julien Ingrassia. As a reminder, Ford already announced its participation in this contest with the new Fiesta RS WRC. The DS3 WRC is powered by a 1.6-liter direct-injection turbocharged engine that delivers 300 HP. It also features cooling vents and aerodynamic parts designed to improve road holding at high speeds. The four-wheel-drive transmission incorporates a six-gear sequential gearbox and front and rear mechanical differentials. 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. Press release after the jump. Full story | featured reviews:Citroen cars reviews2013 2012
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