CITROEN DS3 D SPORT 1.6 PETROL TURBO
154bhp. 0-62mph in 7.3sec. Max torque of 177lbs ft at 1400rpm (!)
INTRODUCTION-
After vowing never to go back to petrol power, and after almost choosing the D-Sport diesel as our next tuning project (110bhp 1.6hdi engine) I decided its time we tried our hands at tuning a petrol turbo. We chose the DS3 over other petrol turbos partly because of its styling and performance but mainly because we think the turbo engine will soon make an appearance in a lot of other vehicles. (already used in the 207 &308 Gts & GTis - there's even a 175bhp 207 GTi-THP)
The C3 based DS3 has the jointly developed BMW/PSA 1.6L 16v 'Prince' petrol engine with direct injection. In non turbo form it produces 109 to 120bhp with variable valve timing in the rest of the range and with a twin scroll turbo, 154bhp in the DS3 and 185bhp in the MINI Cooper S. Contrary to what Car Magazine reported, it does have an intercooler (front mounted) so the power difference between the DS3 and Mini Cooper S is not down to lack of one (Mini has the variable valve timing I'm told). There is a DS3 Racing version with 200bhp and a MINI JCW racing model with 212bhp. Apparently, the mechanical differences are minimal....More about the enginehere:
I suspect BMW have done
what they did to Rover and supplied the engine in a somewhat detuned
form to their partners since they are also competitors (why else
would the JCW Mini have 212bhp and the DS3 Racing 200?). (The BMW
engine in the 75/ZT/TD4 was based on the 318D engine not the 320d
150bhp one and restricted even so, compared to their own cars)
Our DS3
has black paint and white
roof and black is not my first choice but availability is very limited
and 8-12weeks was quoted for any not in stock. However as this was a
demonstrator we were given a decent discount off list so didn't
hesitate in snapping it up especially as it had the £800 leather
interior and £100 white dash. The spec is very good as you can see
from the brief list opposite, which for £15,900 standard DS3 1.6THP
should be. More details here:
CITROEN DS3
Many companies are offering remaps for this spec of engine, taking it to around 185bhp, but we will be investigating plug-in tuning to begin with and if successful, combining this with a remap to see how far we can go. Our aim is for 200bhp, but this may require both remap and tuning box: hopefully the tuning box option alone will give around 30bhp.
The engine produces maximum torque from 1400rpm - unusually low for a petrol turbo, but the torque curve is ruler flat to over 5500rpm, so its obvious that this has been engineered to be so by restricting the fuelling and possibly boost pressure. Given more fuel and turbo boost (11psi standard from 1400rpm), I suspect the torque will keep on building with rpm and I expect the more highly tuned engines in the MINI & DS3 Racing to produce peak torque much higher than 1400rpm. (closer to 2000rpm I believe)