Developement in wrc

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Originally Posted by Viking

Petter asked some top brass Citroen person "what if I am faster than your factory drivers in this old car?"
answer was:……ehhhh… we don’t zink that is gonna heppen :)

Petters only question mark is the 06 engine on the Xsara, I guess there is also a question if Citroen has given him the best engine mapping available?

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If not is this something his engineers can do something with ? I guess they had to get the software to play with the engine, otherwise they will have a challenge !
This is all software is it not, this thing you refer to as mapping, or is it also hardware inside the engine ?

But this is OT here, lets bring it to the PSWRT thread !

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Originally Posted by A.F.F.

I think cosmicpanda hit the nail. When Peugeot changed from Michelin to Pirellis, how many battles were lost to Loeb before they even started? Peugeot and Subaru struggled many times because the tyres simply didn't work as well as Citroen's.

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That's all true. But it's very different issue to the one that I am asking in this thread.

Does anybody know if Volkswagen is planning on using a diesel engine in their S2000 version of the Sirocco, or an update of the Polo ? The hole VAG brand is high on diesel engines: Audi in Le Mans, SEAT in WTCC, VW in Dakar.

Hard to imagine a competitive no-turbo 2.0 diesel...

And it would be awful

They could use the engine that SEAT is using in the WTCC, as they use the S2000 regulations. The SEAT turbo diesel is quite compatable

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Originally Posted by alleskids

They could use the engine that SEAT is using in the WTCC, as they use the S2000 regulations. The SEAT turbo diesel is quite compatable

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I don't think they can use the same rules in rally. The turbo-diesel would make the NA cars look silly eh... even more silly

Very interesting thread!

It is my belief that the WRC cars performance steps get smaller as time goes. Back when subaru indroduced the P2000 it was maybe 1 sek/km faster than the 99 Impreza if I remember correctly. Is was the fastest car all year. The following year the 01 model was introduced and Burns did not like it. It was probibly a step backwards in performance initially.

Every WRC top team was about the same until 2002 when the Peugeot 206 also made a big step forward in pace. On gravel they were minutes ahead in Finland, Australia, NZ ect.

You dont see that happen now with Ford or Citroen... the 06 Xara was still fastest when it was replaced. Duval in the Xara managed to be very close to the factory cars in 07 on tarmac.

I also think that Focus 03 was better than the 04 and 05 evolution..or at least it was according to Markko Märtin. Someting about the power plant not to his liking on them. I bet that car is still competetive on tarmac especially.

Petter Solberg has also said that the Subaru 03 was the best they ever made. Performance might have improved in theory but the following evolutions was driver-un-friendly.

To me the old cars like Peg 206, Xara and Focus 03 looks like they behave better, or more natural in comparison to the latest models. But maybe thats just me..
Interesting stuff anyway! Keep it up!

So, Petter should have taken the 03 Subaru instead of the 06 Citroen? ;)

double post

No, he didn't said that. He said that the 06 Xsara was the best rally car when it stopped developing, and I agree.

When Duval drove the Xsara at Germany they (Citroen) gave him the best car to overhaul Marcus. In Petter Solberg case, I don't think it's in their interest to have him beat their factory drivers. I think Petter will be lucky if he is able to fight for podium.