Citroën adds hot new C2 VTS to lineup
Citroën is to unveil a new addition to its C2 range at this year’s Paris motorshow. The lineup so far consists of humble city hatches and the lukewarm 105 horsepower, lukewarm VTR, but will change with the introduction of a more powerful variant called the VTS. The naming scheme was adopted from previous performance models – the S moniker always referring to the top performing model. This is the vehicle which most youngsters in Western Europe have been waiting for, and it’s come not a moment too soon…
Like its slightly less powerful VTR sibling, the VTS uses the same 1.6 liter sixteen valve inline four, but with a few modifications on board. Improvements to the car’s intake and exhaust manifolds have allowed for more air to pass through with less resistance raising the redline up by 500 rpm to an even 7000. As well as being able to breathe better, the VTS also gets a reworked engine management system, which actually allows the motor to be over-revved to 7200 rpm for short periods of time.
These modifications have proven to be successful at liberating more horsepower: 122 horsepower is the new benchmark, and it’s produced at 6500 rpm. There is however a drawback to the additional horsepower: the motor loses out on torque. We find it quite strange that the VTR posts a lower torque rating, which is actually down 3 lb-ft from 108 to 105. In the real world, which consists of crowded, traffic-heavy streets and jammed highways, the less tractable motor is bound to annoy, but to the majority of hothatch customers, the tradeoff for a peaky motor is well worth the buzz.
But between the R and the S, the real difference is the gearbox. The VTR is only available with Citroën’s rather sluggish clutchless manual ‘Sensotronic’ gearbox. It’s a bit of a dog, shifting slowly and it’s quite easy to confuse. Having seen great success with the UK limited run of the C2 GT, Citroën has fitted a regular five-speed manual gearbox to the VTS. The close-ratio five-speeder slashes the acceleration time from a sluggish 9.9 seconds to a respectable 7.9 seconds. Top speed is now 203 km/h. Neither figure will put current hot hatch champ, Renault Clio 182 into a sweat, but this could spell a victory for the French over the 125 hp VW Lupo GTI.
Concerning handling and ride, Citroën have done a little bit of work to help the VTS along. The suspension has been fettled with slightly, now riding 10 mm lower, sporting stiffer springs, dampers and anti-roll bars to improve handling. The VTS also features a recalibrated steering rack that is a sharper 2.6 turns to lock than the VTR’s 2.8, however the unit still relies on full electric assist which ultimately lacks the feel and response of a conventional hydraulic rack. The wheel and tire size for the VTS remains the same as the VTR at a sure-footed 195/45VR16, but feature a different wheel design.
Citroën has always been favorable when it comes to standard and available equipment on their cars. The VTS features sporty two-toned cloth seats and aluminum accents on the pedals, door handles and shifter knob. Additional equipment also includes four airbags, electric windows, digital climate control, stability control program (which can be switched off at the driver’s desire for that lift-off oversteer), an alarm and a rather dinky stereo system. Optional is a rear-mounted parking sensor and curtain airbags. Like the VTR, Citroën’s main advertising pitch is that of affordability in price and when it comes to maintenance and insurance.
