Citroën DS3 1.6 THP Racing

Auto Advance | Citroën DS3 1.6 THP Racing | The Citroen DS3 Racing, on UK roads for the first time. This 204bhp, 1.6-litre turbo’d hot hatch is a new chapter in the French maker’s fresh-faced DS range. It may be an evolution of the 154bhp DS3, but the alterations wrought to it by Citroen Racing – who have earned themselves some significant silverware in the WRC – are enough to drag it up into a more serious class of hot hatch.

With 15mm lower ride, 30mm wider track, bigger brakes and carbonfibre body addenda the DS3 Racing has already proved that its aggressive looks are matched by its aggressive performance, but British tarmac could yet prove that the plentiful competition makes more sense in Blighty.

What’s it like?

Well, to get straight to the point the ride is firm. Enough that it’s a compromise that some may not want to take given the many talents of the softer, cheaper and more liveable 150 DS3. It’s not rock solid as you may expect, but the vertical damper travel has a solid springiness to it that results in uncomfortable compression and rebound at speeds.

Still, this is only one element of the DS3 R’s ride, and the rest of it is well judged for the UK. Slow speed ride is acceptable, and it settles on motorways so that it can be quite a liveable cruiser. For many the impressive acceleration and outright brutality of the Racing will more than compensate for its shortfalls in terms of finer damper tuning, and if it does then the torque steer that struck regularly in damp conditions is also unlikely to put you off.

In essence the DS3 Racing is exactly what it needs to be. It has acceleration that arrives in a stampede and never fails to make you feel good about what man can do with machines, and the steering and cornering ability brings a deftness to the whole package that allows a real sense of connection to the car – even if it falls short of the best in class.

Our test also took in some track driving, where it became evident that the DS3 can be a very entertaining circuit weapon, as much for its occasionally unpredictable on the limit behaviour as for the progressive and involving handling it delivered the rest of the time.

Elements of this edginess do come through on the road in subtle shimmying of the rear axle and a sense that if you lift off at the wrong time you could find yourself viewing the rest of the corner through your side window. But this is part of the DS3 Racing’s appeal. If you want something that’s really approachable, the 150 is a better bet. The DS3 Racing is flawed, but appealingly intense. For enthusiasts only. If you’re reading this it’s likely you appreciate why that matters.

Should I buy one?

It is important that the DS3 Racing feels like more than your average junior hatch, because at this price it has some very senior competition. For this amount of cash you can have all manner of delights, including the Renaultsport Megane 250 Cup and VW Scirroco 2.0 TSI. Which is where the Citroen comes unstuck. Yes, the Mini JCW that is its main rival is nearly the same price and yet it sells well enough, but the existence of one overpriced car in a class is not enough to justify another.

Just looking at the Citroen DS3 Racing makes it clear that it has a specific target audience, and despite its flaws – price and all – we like its brazen style and performance. If you do too, then there is unlikely to be anything out there that quite satisfies the urge in the same way. But for all that we’re glad it’s here, with rivals that offer better ride, handling and usability in the same price range (and some much cheaper) it’s a difficult one to recommend you spend your money on.
Vicky Parrott

Citroen DS3 Racing

Price: £23,100; Engine: 4cyl in line, 1598cc, turbocharged; Power: 204bhp at 6000rpm; Torque: 203lbft at 2000-4500rpm; 0-62mph: 6.5sec; Top speed: 146mph; Combined: 44.1mpg; CO2: 149g/km; Kerb weight: 1240kg; Gearbox: 6-spd manual. Auto Advance