Did you remember in Gran Turismo #29 : The Citroën Xsara Rally Car '99

The description from “Gran Turismo”

In 1999, the Citroën Xsara accomplished the unimaginable. In the WRC, the Xsara, although it was categorized as an F2 Kit Car, emerged as the overall winner, besting bigger and supposedly faster cars in higher classification.

The F2 Kit Car’s category consisted of 2 wheel drive cars with naturally aspirated 2.0 liter powerplants. Engine modification of F2 Kit Cars was practically unrestricted, and the Xsara’s was reputed to be producing more than 296 HP (294 BHP). The front tires had trouble hooking up with all this power, so traction control was equipped to the car’s electronically controlled hydraulic differential gear box.

The front and rear track were increased, and downforce producing bodywork was installed. The rules also allowed for weight reduction of 270 kg below the stock model’s.

It was in the 5th round race of the 1999 season at Catalonia where the Xsara Kit Car, driven by Philippe Bugalski, achieved its amazing victory. High powered all wheel drive cars had come to dominate the WRC, and this marked the first time since 1988 that an FF car had won. In the 6th round at Tour de Corse, the Xsara a 1-2 finish.

These victories prompted the FIA to raise the minimum weight requirements for kit cars, fearing that their excessive speeds would lead to accidents. This immediately made the Xsara Kit car uncompetitive, and Citroën developped a new all-wheel-drive rally car, one that was based on the Xsara Kit Car.

Supplement of me

Before the WRC, the Citroën Xsara Kit Car starts in the French Rally Championship 1998 with Bugalski. . And he won the 1998 and 1999 drivers title. In 2001, this is the nine-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb. For information, this car succeeds the ZX Rallye Raid, produced between 1990-1997.

In the Catalunya Rally, the Xsara Kit Car (Compund Bugalski and Puras) was competing with the famous Peugeot 306 Maxi (Compound Lopes, Muniente and Monzon), the Renault Mégane Maxi (Compound Marco), the Seat Ibiza GTi 16V Evo2 (used by the ‘’Carlos Sainz Junior Team’’ and and a lot of Spanish), the Citroën ZX 16S (Compund Kuusela and Esposito) and the Vauxhall Astra (Compound Presswell). With a tray with 18 WRC of different official teams; the Xsara Kit Car
managed to win in front of the Toyota Corolla driven by the French Didier Auriol, with +31.8 sec behind an average speed of 93.6 kph (The Toyota has 93.4 kph).

For the Tour de Corse, this is Bugalski and Puras who finished on the podium in front the Toyota Corolla WRC driven by Carlos Sainz (Puras which is +34.6 sec behind him). These victories are still to present the latest victories of a FWD car in the WRC.

It is also thanks to this car that Citroën won the title manufacturer in European Rally Championship in 2000 with Bruno Thiry ending vice-European champion this year. And when the F2 Kit Car class ended in 2001, the Xsara Kit Car is succeeded by the Xsara T4, who will become the famous Xsara WRC.

Well, mechanically speaking, the Xsara Kit Car is a a DOHC 2 L engine developing 280 HP (278 BHP) @ 8.750 RPM with 245 nm (180.7 ft-lb) of torque @ 6.750 RPM. Despite a much wider car, it weight 960 kg (2.094 lbs). 0-64 mph : 5.5 sec and top speed reached 246 kph (153 mph).

It weight/power ratio is 3.429 kg/hp, the equivalent of a 2002 Honda NSX GT300 (350 hp) and a 2004 Carlsson E CK55 RS (560 hp).

The Xsara Kit Car also appear in V-Rally 2 (1999); Pro Rally (2002); RalliSport Challenge (2002); Michelin Rally Masters: Race of Champions (2000); Colin McRae Rally 3 (2002); Pro Rally 2001 (2000); Rally de Europe (2000); Kaido Battle: Touge no Densetsu (2005) and Sébastien Loeb Rally Evo (2016).

A video on YouTube of this model IRL :

A video on YouTube of this model In a Gran Turismo :

BONUS : Onboard with the nine-time world rally champion