Citroen C-Elysee WTCC roars into Frankfurt

Will compete in the World Touring Car Championship

After months of teasing, Citroen has officially unveiled the C-Elysée WTCC race car at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Set to compete in the 2014 World Touring Car Championship, the C-Elysée WTCC has an aggressive appearance thanks to a carbon fiber front spoiler, extended wheel arches and a prominent rear wing. We can also see a carbon fiber grille, aerodynamic side skirts and a massive rear diffuser.

Power comes from a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 380 bhp (283 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque. It is connected to a six-speed sequential transmission that sends power to the front wheels via a mechanical self-locking differential.

The car will be driven by Sébastien Loeb and Yvan Muller who has previously said the C-Elysée WTCC is "lighter, more powerful and more efficient" than anything he has driven in recent seasons.

Source: Citroen

via WORLDCARFANS

More Alsace action for Romain Dumas / Romain Dumas remet ça

Like last year, the winner of the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours has posted an entry for next month’s Rallye de France-Alsace (October 3-6), round 11 of the World Rally Championship. He will drive a Ford Fiesta RS WRC, with Denis Giraudet as co-driver.

Comme l’an passé, le vainqueur des 24 Heures du Mans 2010 sera au départ du Rallye de France-Alsace (3-6 octobre), 11e manche du Championnat du monde des Rallyes. Il pilotera une Ford Fiesta RS WRC et sera copiloté par Denis Giraudet.

After coming 16^th overall and setting some decent stage times in a Mini John Cooper Works WRC in 2012, the French all-rounder has switched to an M Sport-prepared Ford Fiesta RS WRC/Michelin for this year’s attempt.

The current season is one of transition for the works Porsche star who contested the opening rounds of this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship and won the GT class at Le Mans before focusing 100 percent on the development of the German make’s LMP1 prototype in preparation for 2014.

As a result, he has had less time to spend on other forms of motorsport, although he was able to take part in the USA’s Pikes Peak Hill Climb (retired, mechanical problem) and the occasional national-level rally, like the Rallye de Grasse Fleur et Parfum in a Porsche 997 which he won with Giraudet calling out the pace notes.

The experienced Frenchman will be at his side again for the Rallye de France. The event will mark the return of the WRC’s most experienced co-driver (175 starts) after he sustained a nasty back injury on Rally Finland in 2012. After two delicate operations and a long period of re-education, he has been given the green light to resume competing.

Après une 16^e place et quelques chronos encourageants l’an passé sur une Mini John Cooper Works WRC, l’éclectique pilote français remet le couvert, sur une Ford Fiesta RS WRC/Michelin préparée par M-Sport cette fois-ci.

2013 est une année de transition pour le pilote officiel Porsche, qui a disputé les premières épreuves du Championnat du monde d’Endurance FIA (victoire GT au Mans) avant de se concentrer à 100% sur le développement du prototype LMP1 qu’il pilotera la saison prochaine.

Romain n’a eu que peu de temps pour ses « activités annexes » : il a tout de même participé à la course-de-côte de Pikes Peak (abandon, mécanique) et à quelques rallyes nationaux, comme le Rallye de Grasse fleur et Parfum sur Porsche 997 où le tandem avec Denis Giraudet s’est formé par une victoire.

Denis sera de nouveau à ses côtés au Rallye de France. Ce sera le grand retour en WRC du plus expérimenté des copilotes (175 départs) après sa blessure au dos contractée au Rallye de Finlande 2012. Après deux opérations délicates et de longs mois de rééducation, Denis a eu le feu vert pour se rassoir dans un baquet de rallye.

Marc Marquez almost 100% fit and ready for Misano GP

It looks like Marc Marquez will not be taking part in the ‘Spurtleda’ charity event on Wednesday as the Repsol Honda rider has decided to arrive at Misano a little later than usual, in order to continue undergoing physiotherapy on his shoulder.

Marquez dislocated his shoulder at Silverstone during warm-up practice, and he also sustained some light ligament damage that didn’t him from battling with Jorge Lorenzo on the final lap of the British GP, come second just a heartbeat away from the Yamaha rider, but still keep a firm grip on the championship title standings.

Fortunately for Marquez his crashes so far has left him with very few injuries - an abrasion on his chin at Mugello and a fractured toe and little finger at Assen - nothing compared to Jorge Lorenzo’s and Dani Pedrosa’s fractured collarbones.

“I’m already feeling much better since my accident in Silverstone, so hopefully I’ll be almost 100% by this weekend!” said Marquez. “I will arrive in Italy for the race weekend a little later than usual as I will use the time to have more physiotherapy on my shoulder. Misano has a lot of braking and is a smaller and slower track compared to others on the calendar, so it will be interesting to ride the MotoGP bike there. Once again, the aim is to start to work like always, focused on Sunday and prepare ourselves in the best way.”

Dani Pedrosa is still second in the standings, 30-points behind his team mate heading into this weekend’s Misano round, the scene where he suffered a massive screw-up on the Misano starting grid, due to a tire warmer jamming under the front wheel, that forced him to start from the back and then Hector Barbera wiped him out at turn 6, giving his 2012 title chances a massive blow.

I was slightly disappointed after Silverstone as we knew we had the speed and race pace to challenge for victory, anyway we must learn from the mistakes and move on,” commented Pedrosa. “Misano is quite a tricky track and the grip level is always a challenge, but I enjoy riding there. I’ve had good results in the past even if last year we experienced a nightmare on race day! This year we arrive confident and looking to reduce the points to Marc in the Championship.”

from TWOWHEELSBLOG

A change of key: Pianist Lang Lang in a Beetle

Lang Lang, the revered Chinese pianist, is one of the best in his genre – a virtuoso of the ivory keys. In his classic rally debut at the Schloss Bensberg Classics, the musician was paired with Classic Driver editor J. Philip Rathgen in the cockpit of a Beetle ‘Hebmüller’ Cabriolet...

“This is so cool!” said Lang Lang, as he entered the inner courtyard of Schloss Bensberg for the first time in the elegant VW Beetle ‘Hebmüller’ Cabriolet. The 31-year-old pianist from China had never sat in the car before, let alone participated in a classic rally. Undeterred, his enthusiasm and anticipation shone through. 

“This is one of the slowest, but most beautiful experiences of my life...”

The Beetle (known as a ‘Hebmüller’ courtesy of its famous coachbuilder) – fresh from Volkswagen Classic – is beautifully restored but a bit of a diva, and hence required some TLC from a VW mechanic to get it going. Lang Lang found this amusing, even sympathising with the car. “The Beetle has a mind of its own,” he said, comparing it to a historic piano that would demand even more attention than the car. 

After a successful start, the rally led through picturesque areas of mountainous country. Lang Lang compared the ride through the hills with a Beethoven Symphony, thank to its natural beauty. For someone more used to aircraft and limousines, the leisurely power and pace of the Hebmüller Cabriolet was a completely new experience, and one that the pianist clearly relished. As the rally headed toward Moitzfeld, Lang Lang laughed, proclaiming, “This is one of the slowest, but most beautiful experiences of my life.”

But all good things must eventually come to an end, and the experience-rich young artist and his team aboard the Beetle finally arrived on the ramp at the finish. Who knows – maybe Lang Lang will remember the slow ride through the landscape while next interpreting Beethoven’s 5^th Concerto. 

Photos: Kai-Uwe Knoth, Tim Brown, Volkswagen  

via Classic Driver