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Citroen Xsara

Citroen

Citroen Xsara: Citroen Xsara: Compact Car and Rally Champion
Photo: Calreyn88 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

Citroen Xsara: Compact Car and Rally Champion

The Citroen Xsara balanced everyday practicality with genuine motorsport pedigree through its rally-winning WRC version.

Launched in 1997, the Xsara served as Citroen's compact family car, offered as a hatchback, coupe, and estate to compete with rivals like the Volkswagen Golf and Peugeot 306. It was a solid, unremarkable performer in daily form, but two derivatives gave the Xsara name lasting significance.

The Xsara VTS delivered a genuinely quick, sharp-handling hot hatch experience that built on the reputation the Saxo VTS had already established, giving Citroen a credible performance model in the compact segment. Far more significant, though, was the Xsara WRC, the rally car that carried Citroen to multiple World Rally Championship manufacturer and driver titles in the early 2000s with drivers like Sebastien Loeb behind the wheel.

That rally success turned the Xsara from a fairly ordinary family hatchback into a nameplate with real motorsport credibility, and the WRC connection remains the primary reason the Xsara is remembered fondly by enthusiasts today.

Frequently asked questions about Citroen Xsara

What kind of car was the Citroen Xsara?
The Xsara was a compact family car sold as a hatchback, coupe, and estate from 1997, competing with rivals like the Volkswagen Golf and Peugeot 306.
What made the Xsara WRC significant?
The Xsara WRC was Citroen's rally car that won multiple World Rally Championship manufacturer and driver titles in the early 2000s, most notably with driver Sebastien Loeb.
What was the Xsara VTS?
The VTS was the sporty road-going hot hatch version of the Xsara, offering sharper handling and stronger performance than the standard models, building on Citroen's VTS performance branding.
Is the Xsara WRC the same car you could buy from a dealer?
No, the Xsara WRC was a heavily modified purpose-built rally car, distinct from the road-going Xsara models sold to the public, though it shared the same basic silhouette and name.
What replaced the Citroen Xsara?
The Xsara was succeeded by the Citroen C4, which took over as Citroen's compact hatchback offering starting in 2004.

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