Citroen DS3 Cabrio Racing Revealed

Words by Rob McSorley

Ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show in September Citroën have decided to reveal its new DS3 Cabrio Racing at this weeks Goodwood Festival of Speed. 

At the moment it's strictly a concept car but there is a strong possibility that the ca

r will reach production in small numbers just like the DS3 Racing hatchback launched in 2010. Citroen say that the DS3 Cabrio Racing blends the best of the DS3 Racing hatchback with the sophistication of new DS3 Cabrio.

Tuned by the multi-WRC title winning team, Citroën Racing the DS3 is custom-built with plenty of performance and sporting looks. The DS3 Cabrio Racing features special gloss black 19” alloy wheels, a bespoke Moondark matt textured grey paintwork and Black Chrome inserts on the door mirrors, boot trim and handles.

Citroen say that the concept has a bold identity and is DS through and through. To enhance the bespoke look the b

rake callipers, wheel hubs, doors and parts of the lettering and badges are coloured in dynamic Carmin red. The brands distinctive DS pattern appears both on the black canvas roof  and also engraved on the door mirror housings.

Inside, DS3 Cabrio Racing mirrors the successful, stylish and sophisticated look of the rest of the DS3 range. In addition there are sporty bucketed seats available in three different types of fabric (Napa full-grain leather, DS-embossed leather and Alcantara). Special DS pearl top-stitching also features in the Carmin shade on the seats, dashboard and gearshift. The Carmin colour continues on the seat housings and dashboard, mirroring the door side strips.

Performance figures have yet to be released the the DS3 Cabrio Racing features a 1.6-litre turbo-charged petrol engine producing 202 bhp. It will enable the new model to reach 60 mph in under 7 seconds thanks to a weight increase of just 25 kg over the hatchback. Citroen are confident that the driving experience will be lively and agile thanks to uprated suspension and brakes.

  

For those who like to accessorise the DS3 Cabrio Racing concept also has a matching child seat coordinated to the seats and even a pair of co-ordinated rally helmets. Whether these will appear on the production model remain to be seen.

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