From
www.drive.com.au (motoring supplement to one of the newspapers here).
Sbarro paints a hot-blooded Picasso
By Chris. Gable
Wednesday March 20 2002
No, this isn't the Citroen Xsara Picasso you'll be able to buy when the long-promised compact people mover goes on sale here later this year.
This is (obviously) a race-inspired version of the Picasso built by European concept car specialist Sbarro.
The Citroen Xsara Picasso Cup, as it's called, meets "kit car" rallying regulations yet seats five all in racing seats with full harnesses.
True to its namesake, the Picasso is almost cubic. From its hunkered-down stance to its two gullwing doors which replace the road-going Picasso's four standard items the thing screams impact. And, of course, publicity value for Citroen.
The Citroen Xsara Picasso Cup is powered by a 175kW 2.0 litre version of the 1.8 litre petrol engine normally found under the Picasso's bonnet. It's matched to a six-speed manual gearbox.
You'd be right if you said that the body has been pumped with some serious extensions and spoilers. And, yes, the suspension has been lowered considerably and the wheels are, um, large. They're 19-inch alloys, in fact, shod with 255/40 tyres. Brakes appear to be up to the job, incorporating 370mm discs.
Citroen says the gullwing doors that are unique to the Sbarro Picasso provide access to both front and rear seats while giving substantial, race-required body strengthening.
"Before anyone asks, we have no plans to go racing or rallying with the Xsara Picasso when it is launched in Australia later this year," says Miles Williams, General Manager for Citroen here.
"But the Xsara Picasso Cup does show what can be done with the Xsara Picasso, especially as it has the same genes as the Xsara Coupe VTS and the world-beating Xsara Coupe WRC rally car."
