Citroen doesn’t know how to do normal. Admittedly, there’s nothing much out of the ordinary about its current lineup, which is the usual mix of small and medium-sized crossovers, but peel back their boxy, mildly funky shells and you’ll find one of the most pillowy chassis in their respective classes. And bookending the range are two proper oddballs: the ultra-basic Ami EV and, at the other end, the part-shooting brake, part crossover C5 X. The latter is a truly baffling blend of a massive popular body style with a deeply unpopular one, but it makes for a wonderfully unorthodox executive car. A proper Citroen, then.
The French marque came at its performance cars with a similar approach. Remember the BX 4TC homologation special? Not many people do, because it made for such a rubbish rally car that Citroen destroyed all its unsold stock once the Group B era came to an end. It was, however, a brilliantly odd-looking thing, and sat far closer to the rally car than the firm’s next WRC special, the C4 By Loeb, which was just a VTS in either red of black with white wheels and some stickers. Fortunately, it put considerably more effort into its next performance offering, arriving in 2011 as the Citroen DS 3 Racing.
Having learnt its lesson with the C4 By Loeb, the company decided to hand the reigns over to Citroen Racing, the team behind Sebastien Loeb’s nine(!) WRC titles, for its warmed-up DS 3. And good thing it did, because the the modifications were extensive. The Mini-derived 1.6-litre turbo engine was boosted to 203hp, the suspension firmed up (but still far softer than any of its rivals) and the brakes uprated with four-piston Brembo callipers up front. Most, however, will remember the DS 3 Racing’s striking orange and black colour scheme, with carbon trim glued to the skirts and wheel arches - taking Colin Chapman’s ‘add lightness’ adage a little too literally.
The car we have here is the distinctly less orange 2016 refresh. In fact, it technically isn’t a Citroen, as it arrived just after the company decided to make DS its own upmarket entity. You therefore won’t find any Citroen badges here, nor the questionable-yet-characterful ‘caution’ stickers that adorned the original, but instead fancy DS emblems, subtle decals and gold in place of the original’s orange accents. It’s not as recognisable - or arresting - as the first, but there’s no denying it’s a smart-looking thing, and arguably the one many would find easier to live with in the long run.
Aside from the visual changes, the DS 3 Performance received a power bump to 208hp, closer gearing and a limited-slip differential, which the Racing sorely needed. That being said, the Performance is said to be a little softer than the Racing, which is saying something given the old car wasn’t exactly the last word in stiffness. Nevertheless, the extra grunt matched with the tweaked gearbox and LSD were all praised by reviewers, and while it’s not the most focused of hot hatches, it’s up there in terms of usability.
Looks the business, too, especially in ‘Black’ trim like this one. And it’s not like you see them everyday, either. Just over 150 were sold here, if HowManyLeft is anything to go by, matching UK registrations for the DS 3 Racing. This one could be yours for £9,990 with 45k miles and a full service history, which is a nice saving over this lower-mileage car. But if you’d prefer your DS 3 in a bonkers colour scheme with delightfully silly graphics, you can grab this 2012 example with 87k miles for a £3k discount…
SPECIFICATION | DS 3 PERFORMANCE BLACK
Engine: 1,598 four-cylinder, turbocharged
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 208@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 221@3,000rpm
MPG: 52.3
CO2: 125g/km
Year registered: 2017
Recorded mileage: 45,000
Price new: £22,495
Yours for: £9,990
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