als het niet van de buren hun site mag, na teksten op eigen manier veranderd te hebben, dan maar van een andere site.....
Yet unlike Peugeot, which has already announced it will switch its motorsports focus to an attempt at becoming the first manufacturer to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans with a diesel-powered prototype, Citroen has sustained it could return to rally’s top tier already in 2007.
Loeb, for his part, claimed he would prefer to run a privately-run Xsara in ‘06 to keep his ties to Citroen, assuming the manufacturer’s '07 return would indeed happen. According to the official WRC website, that scenario is looking increasingly likely as Citroen is already testing (with driver Philippe Bugalski) a Xsara with the 2007-spec - i.e., with simpler differentials and engines - technical package.
That “hybrid” Xsara would be available next year to privateers such as the OMV team that currently campaigns a Citroen for Manfred Stohl and the new Loeb-Gronholm squad, to be run by experienced sports car and rally team Oreca, winners of the 2003 Junior WRC title. Loeb’s personal sponsor Sony/PlayStation would be the new outfit’s major backer.
If that deal comes to fruition, Citroen would then be almost certain to return as an official works entry in '07, with Loeb and Gronholm steering the hardware tried and tested next year but wrapped by the body shell of the automaker’s C4 hatchback, which replaced the Xsara in the European market last year.
BRON: NIET MEZELF , MAARRR....SPEEDTV.COM