August 30^th, 2003

C3 gets a new engine and a WRC gearbox

DUBBED the world's most beautiful small car, the Citroen C3 is now available with a new 1.6 engine and a revolutionary SensoDrive gearbox.

It will enable its owners to choose been the convenience and comfort of a self changing gearbox or the ability to slice through the gears like Citroen World Rally Car drivers Colin McRae, Carlos Sainz and Sebastian Loeb.

The 1.6 engine shifts the Citroen C3's power up a gear from the 57 kW in the 1.4 litre version launched to acclaim in December last year to 83 kW, slashing up to five seconds off the 0-100 kmh time and boosting top speed to 192 kmh.

Remarkably, at 8.0 litres per 100 km, the fuel consumption for the 1.6 is actually better than the 1.4 around town and the combined figure, at 6.2 litres per 100 km is the same as the 1.4. Equally impressive is that both cars share the same C0² figure of 148 grams per km.

This remarkable combination of performance, low fuel consumption and low emissions is due in no small part to the new SensoDrive gearbox.

Technically it is known as a sequential manual gearbox, or to put it another way it is a manual gearbox with a normal clutch that is operated electronically, either at the command of the driver or at its own initiative, much in the same way as a conventional automatic selects the correct gear.

The combination of the mechanics of a manual gearbox with the self shifting ability of an automatic pulls together the advantages of the two alternate systems. On one hand SensoDrive offers the advantages of manual gearbox: Performance, economy and emissions are not affected by a power sapping, fuel consuming, and emission producing torque converter that is required by a conventional automatic. At the same time it has the advantages of automatic: When the driver requires, at the press of a button, SensoDrive takes over all the gear changing responsibilities.

SensoDrive also adds a few additional advantages of its own.

Because it is in total control of the engine, gears and clutch it ensures every gear change is perfect, no slipping of the clutch or mismatched engine and road speeds. This means not only is it harder to damage the drivetrain through poor driving technique, the 'spike' of emissions that goes through the system every time a conventional manual gearbox changes gears is eliminated. This is why the 1.6 litre SensoDrive C3 not only has the same 148 g/km CO² as the 1.4 engine, it is also significantly better than the 155 g/km CO² for the 1.6 C3 with a manual gearbox.

And then there is the ability to drive like Sainz, McRae and Loeb. Their Citroen Xsara WRCs are also fitted with a sequential manual gearbox to maximise performance and aid driver concentration. Like the C3 SensoDrive, they can change gears without taking their hands off the steering wheel, using the same half moon shaped paddles mounted behind the wheel.

However, unlike the C3, they don't have an automatic button. It's not something that's required when you are on your way to the remarkable 1-2-3 finish achieved by the Citroen team in the 2003 WRC Monte Carlo Rally.

The Citroen C3 SensoDrive  package includes Climate Control AirCon with pollen filter, four airbags,  ABS brakes with EBA and EBD, power windows and mirrors, remote central locking, front centre arm rests, six speaker equipped CD player, rain sensing wipers, automatic wipers, trip computer and front and rear fog lights.

The Citroën C3 range for Australia opens at $19,990 for the Citroën C3 SX manual. Standard equipment includes remote central locking, front electric windows, variable assistance electric power steering, air-conditioning and cloth upholstery.

The Citroën C3 Exclusive manual at $21,490 adds ABS anti-lock brakes, front fog lights, front centre armrests and velour upholstery, while the automatic Citroën C3 Exclusive at $23,490 not only gains a sophisticated electronic automatic gear box, it also gains 15 inch wheels, climate control air conditioning, rain sensing windscreen wipers, exterior temperature gauge and "Follow me home" headlights.

All versions of the Citroen C3 have one-touch electric front windows, electric power steering that has ultra-light operating for easy parking, Hi-Fi quality inbuilt audio system with CD player and six speakers, power mirrors, digital instrumentation with a dashboard mounted message screen, remote control central locking, chilled glove box, split folding rear seat, remote electric children's door locks and height adjustable headlights.

"Citroen has built its reputation not just on advanced technology, but technology that in its application provides Citroen owners with a real advantage over other cars," said Miles Williams, general manager for Citroen in Australia.

"The Citroen C3 SensoDrive is a fine example of this philosophy at work. It offers better performance, uses less fuel and is better for the environment. And it's all wrapped up in the world's most beautiful small car. Could there be a better combination?"