Citroën has dominated cross country rallying in the Nineties
with 36 victories in 42 races since 1990 and five consecutive wins in the World Cup for Cross Country Rallying
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1990
The Citroën Rallye
Raid prototypes made their rallying debut at the Baja Aragon (20
- 21 July 1990) in Spain with two teams - Ari Vatanen/Bruno Berglund and
Jacky Ickx/Christian Tarin, taking first and second places.
The Vatanen/Berglund
team came fourth in the Pharaohs' Rally (7-17 October 1990).
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1991
In its second cross-country
rally season, the ZX Rallye Raid chalked up numerous victories -
In the Paris -
Tripoli - Dakar (29 December to 16 January 1991) rally, 9 000 km -
5,600 miles across Africa, the ZX Rallye Raid driven by Vatanen/Berglund
finished first.
Baja Aragon (19 - 20 July
1991) - third place for Vatanen.
Pharaohs' Rally
(6 - 16 October) -first, second and third places.
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1992
At the start of the third
season, Citroën competed in the Paris - Sirte - Le Cap rally
(23 December 1991 - 16 January 1992) in which the team of Björn Waldegaard
and Fred Gallagher finished fourth in a ZX Rallye Raid Voie Etroite. (narrow
track) but somewhere around the mid point it was converted to wide track.
All that was needed was different suspension arms, drive shafts, and front
and rear bodywork -total job time about 30 minutes..
A much better result
was achieved in the Tunisia rally (2 - 12 April 1992) with the first
three places being taken by Pierre Lartigue/Michel Périn, Wambergue/Vantouroux
and Jonsson/Gallagher.
The Lartigue/Périn
team notched up first place in the Paris - Moscow - Beijing rally
(30 August - 27 September).
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1993
Citroën and Mitsubishi
battled it out for the first World Cup for Cross Country Rallying. Lartigue/Périn
brought Citroën the Driver's and Constructor's title in their ZX Rallye
Raid Evolution 2.
Second and third
places were won in the Paris - Dakar (1 - 16 Janmuary 1993) by the
teams of Lartigue/Périn and Auriol/Picard.
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In the
Atlas Rally (19 - 28 May 1993) Timo Salonen/Fred Gallagher, Ambrosino/Guehennec
and Lartigue/Périn took second, third and fourth places.
Lartigue/Périn
and Salonen/Gallagher took first and second place in the Baja 1000
in Portugal (2 - 3 July 1993).
Lartigue/Périn
and Salonen/Gallagher took first and third in Baja Aragon (21 -
25 July 1993).
First and third places
were secured in the Pharaoh's Rally (3 - 13 October 1993) by Salonen/Gallagher
and Lartigue/Périn.
Lartigue/Périn
won the World Cup for Cross Country Rallying, Driver's Category and brought
Citroën the Constructor's title with their victory in the Desert
Challenge - United Arab Emirates (17 - 20 November 1993).
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1994
The year was utterly
dominated by Pierre Lartigue and Michel Périn who won all but one
of their races.
Two new versions
of the ZX Rallye Raid were introduced during this season - the Evolution
3 and 4.
Paris - Dakar - Paris (28
December 1993 - 16 January 1994) - Hubert Auriol came second to Lartigue/Périn.
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Salonen/Gallagher
came second after Lartigue/Périn in the Tunisia rally (7
- 17 April 1994).
Auriol/Picard finished
third, first place going to Lartigue/Périn in the Atlas Rally
(20 - 29 May 1994).
First place in the
Baja Portugal (23 - 26 June 1994) was taken by Lartigue/Périn
in the Evolution 4's debut.
The Baja Aragon
(21 - 24 July) saw Lartigue/Périn taking second place to Salonen/Gallagher.
Lartigue/Périn
took first place in the Baja Italy (4 - 7 August 1994).
Lartigue/Périn
won the Montée de l'Olympe (12 - 14 August 1994).
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1995
For the third year running,
Citroën won the World Cup for Cross Country Rallying, Constructor's
category and Lartigue/Périn won the Drivers' category.
Lartigue/Périn
won the Granada - Dakar (27 December 1994 - 15 January 1995).
Lartigue/Périn
took first place, followed by Salonen/Gallagher and Vatanen/Pons in second
and third in the Tunisia rally (6 - 16 April 1995).
Lartigue/Périn
were pushed into second place by Vatanen/Pons while Salonen/Gallagher took
third in the Atlas Rally (20 - 28 May 1995).
Vatanen/Pons again
beat Lartigue/Périn in the Baja Portugal (22 - 25 June 1995).
Lartigue/Périn
took first place in the Baja Italy (7 - 8 July 1995).
Lartigue/Périn
won the Baja Aragon (21 - 23 July 1995) with Salonen/Gallagher coming
second.
Vatanen won the Montée
de l'Olympe.
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1996
For the fourth year running,
Citroën won the World Cup for Cross Country Rallying, Constructor's
category and Lartigue/Périn won the Drivers' category. The Evolution
5 was launched.
Lartigue/Périn
took first place in the Granada - Dakar (27 December 1995 - 14 January
1996) and Wambergue/Gallagher came second.
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Lartigue/Périn
took first place and Vatanen/Picard came second in the Tunisia rally
(18 - 28 April 1996).
The same result was
achieved in the Baja Portugal (20 - 23 June 1996).
The positions were
reversed when Vatanen/Picard beat Lartigue/Périn in the Baja
España (11 - 14 July 1996).
Lartigue/Périn
extracted their revenge in the Baja Italy (2 - 4 August 1996).
In the Montée
de l'Olympe (16 - 18 August 1996) Lartigue/Périn take first
place for the second time.
The Evolution 5 driven
by Vatanen/Picard took first place, followed by Lartigue/Périn in
second and Wambergue/Gallagher in third places in the 9 451 km/5,906 mile
Master Rallye : Paris Ulan Bator (7 - 27 September 1996).
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1997
In its seventh and final
season, the ZX Rallye Raid won its fifth world title.
Lartigue/Périn
won the Baja Italy (28 February - 2 March 1997).
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Lartigue/Périn
followed by Vatanen/Gallagher took the first two places in the Tunisia
rally (4 - 13 April 1997).
Vatanen/Gallagher
took first place and Lartigue/Périn took second in the Atlas
Rally (8 - 18 May 1997).
Vatanen/Gallagher
had their second win of the season in an Evolution 4 in the Baja Portugal
(19 - 22 June 1997).
Lartigue/Périn
won the Baja Aragon (10 - 13 July 1997) ahead of Vatanen/Gallagher.
In the Master
Rallye : Paris - Samarkand - Moscow (22 August - 7 September 1997)
Vatanen/Gallagher took first, Lartigue/Périn second and Wambergue/Picard
third in this 8 948 km/5,592 mile race.
Vatanen/Gallagher
won the UAE Desert Challenge bringing Citroën the Drivers'
and Constructor's World Cups for Cross Country Rallying for the fifth time.
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The
ZX Rallye Raid has been replaced by the Saxo
and Xsara Kit Cars .
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Technical
Specification
Engine
Four cylinders in
line, mounted transversely in the middle rear of the car, inclined 20 degrees
towards the rear.
Type XU 15.
Capacity 2 499cm3.
Bore and stroke 93
x 92mm.
Compression ratio
- 6,7:1.
Maximum power 300
bhp DIN @ 4 500 rpm (227 kW). Evolution version produced 330 bhp @ 4 500
rpm (250 kW)
Maximum torque 59mkg
@ 3 500 rpm
Maximum engine speed
7 300 rpm.
Power output 132
bhp per litre.
Garett turbocharger
with separate discharge valve.
Dry cartidge air
filter.
Single length inlet
manifold.
Magneti-Marelli electronic
ignition.
Fuel supply using
a mechanical pump plus high pressure electric priming pump.
1 central fuel tank
plus 2 additional tanks. Total capacity 480l.
Transmission
Four wheel drive.
Two plate dry clutch with hydraulically controlled diaphragm mechanism.
Manual gearbox located transversely on end of engine.
Seven forward dog gears controlled by floor mounted lever.
Front and rear axles employing self locking differentials with central Ferguson type limited slip differential.
Suspension
Mechanical, all independent. Front and rear anti roll bars.
Front - two spring shock absorber units mounted on the upper arm
Rear - two spring shock absorber units and one shock absorber linked with upper wishbone via tie-bar and rocker arm.
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Steering
Rack and pinion,
open centre hydraulic assistance, 2,5 turns lock to lock.
Brakes
Two separate front and rear circuits with front/rear balance controlled from within the cockpit. Four piston calipers, AP self ventilating discs, front diameter 355mm, rear diameter 315mm.
On the Evolution cars, rear discs were increased to 355mm.
Dimensions
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Length
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4
690mm
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Width
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2
018mm
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Height
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1
810mm
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Wheelbase
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2
996mm
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Ground
clearance
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350mm
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Weight
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1
450kg
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Tyres
Front : Michelin 18/80 x 18 on Speedline 18 inch ventilated wheels
Rear : Michelin 21/80 x 16 on Speedline 16 inch ventilated wheels.
On the Evolution, all four wheels were 18 inch.
Bodywork
Two door coupé made of Kevlar and carbon.
Maximum speed
205 kph
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| © 1998 Julian
Marsh |
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