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Citroën C2 Super 1600 at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2003

At the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2003, Citroën is showing several new variants of its new baby, the C2.

Above and below the C2 Super 1600 - click on the cutaway image for a larger version

CITROEN C2 SUPER 1600: FROM THE CONCEPT TO THE RACE

Unveiled at this year’s Geneva Motor Show as a concept car, the C2 Citroën Sport did not remain a concept for long. Today, the C2 Super 1600 is here. The 60th Frankfurt Motor Show turns the spotlight on this new model, which illustrates the long–term commitment of Citroën Sport to customer competition.
Citroën Sport is proud to unveil its new weapon. Made to rally, the C2 Super 1600 is designed to continue the winning tradition of the Saxo Super 1600. A car that has notched up a host of victories and titles in the different national championships with, as its crowning achievement, two Junior World Championship (JWRC) titles, in 2001 with Sébastien LOEB and in 2002 with Dani Sola.

PRESENT AT ALL LEVELS

Through its presence in rallying, Citroën aims to show itself to be a dynamic, likeable brand. It seeks to do this not only through its racing cars but also – and above all – through the values and ideals that underpin sporting engagement.

CONTINUITY AND LOYALTY

Against a backdrop of increasing business activity and an action-packed sporting season with the involvement of the Xsara WRCs in the World Rally Championship, the unveiling of the C2 Super 1600 is not just a demonstration of Citroën’s sporting ambitions. It also signifies the brand’ s attachment to the “true” sporting values.
Through this policy, based on continuity and loyalty, Citroën is increasing its involvement in customer competition and stepping up efforts to detect young talent.

AN APPROACH BASED ON THE LONG TERM

Creating a career track for young drivers is one of the key facets of Citroën’s sporting policy. Promising young drivers are identified through the brand’s promotional rally formulae, on both gravel and asphalt. The objective is to help the best young drivers make progress in the national championships and subsequently in the Junior WRC. An ideal career track for the young men and women who hope one day to join the official Citroën Sport team in the WRC.

THE EXAMPLE OF SEBASTIEN LOEB

Winner this year in Monte Carlo and in Germany, Sébastien Loeb is a shining example for budding drivers. Noticed by Guy Fréquelin, the head of Citroën Sport, in the brand’s promotional formulae, Sébastien Loeb has climbed the ranks of the global hierarchy in record time. After winning the Junior WRC in 2001 with the Saxo S1600, he got the chance to drive the Xsara WRC – in tests and then in a rally – at the end of 2001. Sébastien rose to the top with amazing speed. And many others would clearly like to do the same, as is clear from the keen interest shown by young drivers in the brand’s promotional formulas. The launch of the C2 Super 1600 is therefore part of this pyramid approach, which illustrates the importance placed by Citroën on the champions of the future.

HOMOLOGATION ON 1 MARCH 2004

The homologation date set for the C2 Super 1600 is 1 March 2004. A true racing car featuring the most recent design on the starting grid, the C2 Super 1600 will endow Citroën and private organisations with the means to collect new titles in national and international championships.

LOOKS, POWER AND PERFORMANCE

The striking style of the C2 Super 1600 expresses intense driving sensations combined with quality of build: power and performance. For sports enthusiasts, the exterior styling of the C2 Super 1600 will immediately bring to mind visions of sliding, acceleration and braking, backed up by the absolute control of a well-balanced car.
The proportions, wheel base, wide tracks and front end of the C2 Super 1600 express a high level of density. Its wide air intakes, rounded bonnet and plunging design lines suggest remarkable performance capacities, as do the strongly marked and generously sized wheel arches.
The combination of these two aspects, density and dynamic capabilities, makes the C2 Citroën Sport a concentrate of power, energy and pleasure.

KIT AVAILABILITY

The “C2 Super 1600” kit will be available from the customer competition parts store* from 1 March 2004. It will include all competition parts as well as the production parts used by the vehicle in order to provide customers with car that is “ready to race” in an asphalt and/or gravel configuration.
The C2 Super 1600 kit, asphalt and/or gravel version, will be priced in accordance with the regulations in force when the vehicle is launched on 1 March 2004.

Contacts at Citroën Sport:

Jean François Lienere – Head of customer competition programme
Tel : + 33 1 30 84 04 55 E-mail
Eric Choffel – Head of customer competition parts
Tel : + 33 1 30 84 04 58 E-mail

AN INDUSTRIAL PROJECT ON A HUGE SCALE:

ONE PLATFORM, THREE VEHICLES

Manufactured at Aulnay-sous-Bois, the C2 uses a version of platform 1 with a wheelbase of just 2.31 m, compared with 2.46 m for the C3 and C3 Pluriel. As part of this platform policy, Citroën has brought out three vehicles, each with its own personality and concept.
The design platform, which comprises more than 60% of shared parts, sought to incorporate the latest developments in safety and comfort right from the start. As illustrated by the excellent results obtained by the C3 and C3 Pluriel in EuroNCAP impact tests.
The C2 rounds out Citroën’s compact vehicle offering, alongside the C3 and the C3 Pluriel. It will help the brand to win new market share, since most vehicles sold on the compact-vehicle segment across Europe are three-door models.
The C2, C3 and C3 Pluriel are a perfect illustration of the Citroën brand’s vitality and expressive talent.

Click to see large image (will open in new window)

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE C2 SUPER 1600 – 2-wheel drive (gravel and asphalt)

ENGINE
Developed from the TU5JP4 production engine
Capacity (cc): 1,587
Bore/stroke (mm): 78.5 x 82
Max power (bhp – rpm): 225 / 8,500
Max torque (mkg - rpm): 20.5 / 7,000
Max rotation speed (rpm): 9,000
Specific output (bhp/l): 141 bhp/l

DISTRIBUTION
2 overhead camshafts driven by a toothed belt
Mechanical tappet with adapted cam profile

POWER SUPPLY
Magneti-Marelli multipoint injection
MF 4M single butterfly-valve type, diameter 60 mm

TRANSMISSION
Front-wheel drive
Reinforced transmission shafts

CLUTCH
Pushed mechanism
Cera-metallic single disc
(diameter: 184 mm)

GEARBOX
6-speed dog clutch, sequential
ZF limited-slip differential

BRAKES
Front: ventilated discs
gravel 300 x 28 mm
asphalt 355 x 28 mm
4-pot callipers
Rear: 290 x 8 mm discs
2-pot callipers
Front/rear distribution adjustable by lever
Hydraulic handbrake

SUSPENSION
Front: MacPherson type (joint welded wishbone, anti-roll bar)
Geometry: fully adjustable
Rear: specific trailing arms with coil spring
Dynamic shock absorbers with external reservoirs (front and rear)

STEERING
Direct
Hydraulic power assisted

WHEELS
Rims: Gravel 6x15
Asphalt 7 x 17
Michelin tyres: Gravel 16/65/1 5
Asphalt 17/63/17

WEIGHT
1,000 kg
Front/rear distribution: 60/40 %

STRUCTURE/BODY
Reinforced body shell with roll cage
Glass fibre front and rear bumpers
Airfoil
Aluminium crankcase protection

DIMENSIONS
Length: 3,660 mm
Width: 1,795 mm
Wheelbase: 2,326 mm
Front track: 1,633 mm
Rear track: 1,568 mm

© Julian Marsh/Citroënët + Citroën UK Ltd. + SA Automobiles Citroën