Following its presentation in pre-production guise at the Goodwood Festival this summer, the Citroën DS3 Cabrio Racing has been confirmed for production, with orders starting in January 2014.
The production model looks very similar to the concept and follows the same philosophy of combining the performance of the Citroën DS3 Racing with the pleasure of half-open-top driving offered by the DS3 Cabrio.
Since the latter is only 25 kg (55 lbs) heavier than the DS3 hatchback, the difference in performance will be basically undetected.
The DS3 Cabrio Racing features chrome-finish, twin exhaust pipes and genuine carbon finish on several bodywork components – air diffuser, semi-rigid splitter in the front bumper, wraparound body sills, wing flares and others.
Available with an all-new body color, matt Moondark grey, combined with a black roof and gloss-black 18-inch Nemesis alloy wheels, the DS3 Cabrio Racing also features Carmin Red paint on the wheel centers along with the DS logo, and on the doors in a wide strip.
On the inside, Moondark Grey bodywork color is also used on the upper dash, center console, instrument panel and other interior trim items, while the steering wheel inserts and the fascia panel cap have a carbon fiber effect. The headrests of the front seats feature the Citroën Racing signature, while the base of the gearshift lever has a numbered identification plaque.
Under the hood there’s the same 1.6-liter turbocharged engine from the DS3 Racing, but with slightly more horsepower – 207.
Order books open on January 2, with deliveries starting at the end of January. Citroën didn’t say how many units of the DS3 Cabrio Racing will be built, but since the DS3 Racing hatchback is limited to 1,000 units, the open-top variant could be even rarer.
By Dan Mihalascu
PHOTO GALLERY
