Citroen C1 GTI

Citroen C1 GTI

a project by Balance Motorsport

C1 GTI

0-60 7.9 seconds
60 MPG
£20 per year road tax
3 Cylinder 1000cc
Turbocharger Conversion
Sports Suspension
Rear Anti Roll Bar
Alloy Wheels & Tyres

£4995 installed, road tested and dyno tuned

We wanted to develop a modern hot hatch that combined light weight with high grip and excellent fuel economy. Since we started to develop C1GTI many major manufacturers have adopted the small engine with turbo route but we don't think any of them offer the compelling balance of power and torque in such a light chassis. We deliberately went with the base model as being stripped of luxuries this model came in at the quoted 790kg. Naturally if you have a heavier higher spec car to start with the performance won't be quite as good. The conversion adds a little weight but the C1 GTI still sports a very healthy power to weight ratio of 136hp per ton. Our original conversion car has now covered over 20000 fault free miles

Full Conversion includes:

ECU & Fuel System

AEM Power piggy back - maintaining all OE emissions and safety controls, VVTI control maintained maximising economy and low end torque, idling and starting characteristics maintained, NO Engine Check Lights. Denso 360cc Fuel Injectors - rather than one additional injector we have gone the same route the manufacturer themselves would have taken - correct oversized injectors.

Turbocharger Conversion

110hp ECO-R 6 Stage Digital Boost Control, Water Injection, Power with Economy.

Stainless Steel Turbo Pipe Kit - turbo mounted post CAT no MOT problems and easy installation. Turbocharger - KKK K03 Turbo (same turbo as a 1.8 T VW Golf GTI our Track R spec coming in 2012 will be good for 150hp with the correct fuel and boost map).

Stainless Steel Exhaust - sound subtle at all times with a purposeful growl at higher rpm and throttle openings. Water Injection - Keeps the exhaust temperatures down to maintain cat life. Also protects piston crown and stops detonation without the factory ECU pulling spark unecessarily. Water injection allows the use of 95 octane fuel with lower boost levels.

Oil Cooler - essential for engine longevity and turbo life.

Uprated DENSO Spark Plugs - Fine wire electrode, Iridium - 2 grades colder

BMC Air Cone Airfilter - located inside the N/S arch liner away from water and away from the engine bay.

Battery - located in the boot to make space for the the KO3 Turbo.

Oil Breather / Drain mods - modified sump, modified cam cover

Water Injection- -ECO-R, TRACK only. 5 Bar H20 injection system to cool charge air and more importantly protect the standard cast pistons and reduce turbo / cat and underbonnet temperatures. Low level warning. Operation on boost map 1 (96HP) possible without H20 injection. Essential for engine longevity

Sports Suspension

Custom designed UK Made Coilover Suspension - using track orientated spring rates this car is at home on the road and the circuit.

Pitch optimised spring rates - Due consideration given to pitch optimisation for typical B Road and Short circuit speeds.

Rear Anti-Roll Bar

Custom 22mm Anti-roll bar - like most modern FWD cars they have much too much front roll stiffness. This is the one modification that truly makes this conversion and brings back 1980s levels of fun and involvement that you thought had gone for good.

Alloy Wheels & Tyres

ROTA Torque Alloys and Marangoni Zeta Linea Tyres - a proven combination offering light weight and good road wear rates with a track proven design (used for a number of years in the RX8 Cup in Italy and finding favour with Sprint Competitors looking for a decent list 1A Tyre).

Braking System

EBC Green Stuff Pads - We have not had any issues with the standard brake system the only upgrade being EBC Green Stuff pads - remember that the 205 GTI only had 247mm vented front discs and that weighed nearly 100kg more and didn't have the benefit of ABS or EBD.

Sprint Report – Mallory Park 20th March 2011

MALLORY PARK TRACK MAP

This was my first trip to Mallory Park and I can confirm the reputation for friendliness was bolstered by a fantastic day out with all the camaraderie you expect at a Sprint.

The circuit had been newly resurfaced and we were to use all the chicanes. Starting from the start finish straight we head around Gerards then through the chicane of Charlies and Stapletons. Then along the Stebbe straight up to Edwinas chicane through here then uphill via the John Cooper Esses then into Shaws Hairpin. This very slow hairpin then leads us into the Bus Stop Chicane then downhill through the Devils Elbow.

This layout is effectively the Superbike circuit. This was the first time a Sprint had been held with this configuration. The aim with the car today was to ensure we finished and managed to keep the car in one piece for the journey home. Surprisingly though the car aquitted itself well for a first outing on an unknown circuit as the data below shows.

The Power to weight figures and weights are estimated or based on declared figures! (in this sport it's rare someone will want to say they have more power rather less!) For the purposes of easy comparison of times and to save time and space we are only including Road Going & Modified Production Cars excluding the Single Seaters and Sports Libre classes. After all no matter how well you build a tintop it's not going to beat a single seater.

CLASS	CAR	RUN 1	RUN 2	BEST	EST HP	EST WEIGHT KG INC 80KG FOR DRIVER	HP PER TON
MODIFIED PRODUCTION OVER 2000CC	MG B V8	68.65	65.32	65.32	300	1020	294
ROADGOING MODIFIED 4WD	Mitsubishi Evo 8 8	68.24	67.01	67.01	400	1480	270
ROADGOING SPECIALIST PRODUCTION	Caterham 7	67.53	67.02	67.02	250	480	521
ROADGOING MODIFIED OVER 2000CC	MGB V8	67.33	67.15	67.15	300	1020	294
ROADGOING SPECIALIST PRODUCTION	Lotus Exige	67.34	67.58	67.34	243	1010	241
MODIFIED PRODUCTION 1401-2000CC	Ford Anglia	68.62	67.65	67.65	200	830	241
ROADGOING MODIFIED 1401-2000CC	Lotus Elan Plus 2	68.91	67.68	67.68	200	945	212
ROADGOING MODIFIED OVER 2000CC	BMW M3 CSL	68.08	68.03	68.03	355	1465	242
MODIFIED PRODUCTION OVER 2000CC	MG B V8	68.18	FAIL	68.18	300	1020	294
ROADGOING MODIFIED OVER 2000CC	BMW M Coupe	69.74	68.58	68.58	317	1473	215
ROADGOING MODIFIED OVER 2000CC	Ford Focus RS	69.13	68.77	68.77	349	1548	225
ROADGOING MODIFIED OVER 2000CC	BMW M3	70.34	69.69	69.69	320	1520	211
ROADGOING MODIFIED OVER 2000CC	MGB V8	71.31	70.65	70.65	300	1020	294
MODIFIED PRODUCTION UP TO 1400CC	MG Midget Racing	71.95	71.19	71.19	140	765	183
ROADGOING MODIFIED UP TO 1400CC	MG Midget	72.37	71.3	71.3	140	765	183
MODIFIED PRODUCTION OVER 2000CC	TR7 V8	73.65	71.3	71.3	250	1130	221
ROADGOING SPECIALIST PRODUCTION	Lotus Elise R	73.25	71.47	71.47	243	1010	241
ROADGOING MODIFIED 1401-2000CC	MG B GT	71.52	FAIL	71.52	150	980	153
ROADGOING STANDARD 1401-2000CC	MG ZR 160	73.4	71.83	71.83	160	1225	131
MODIFIED PRODUCTION OVER 2000CC	MG ZS 180	72.24	71.91	71.91	200	1365	147
ROADGOING MODIFIED 1401-2000CC	Renault Clio	73.61	72.47	72.47	150	1090	138
ROADGOING MODIFIED 1401-2000CC	MG Midget	FAIL	72.59	72.59	130	765	170
ROADGOING SPECIALIST PRODUCTION	Lotus Exige	73.11	72.62	72.62	243	1010	241
ROADGOING MODIFIED UP TO 1400CC	Mini Cooper	73.94	73.02	73.02	130	760	171
MODIFIED PRODUCTION OVER 2000CC	Porsche 924S	74.58	73.07	73.07	150	1100	136
ROADGOING STANDARD OVER 2000CC	MG ZT 260	84.18	73.15	73.15	260	1850	141
MODIFIED PRODUCTION 1401-2000CC	MGZR	76.29	73.25	73.25	160	1195	134
ROADGOING MODIFIED 1401-2000CC	Renault Clio	73.3	73.5	73.3	150	1090	138
ROADGOING STANDARD 1401-2000CC	Fiat Tipo Sedicivalvole	74	74.06	74	150	1260	119
ROADGOING STANDARD 1401-2000CC	MG TF 160	76.28	74.15	74.15	160	1195	134
ROADGOING STANDARD 1401-2000CC	MG TF 160	75.16	74.73	74.73	160	1195	134
ROADGOING MODIFIED 1401-2000CC	Toyota MR2	75.57	75.34	75.34	145	1050	138
ROADGOING MODIFIED 1401-2000CC	Toyota MR2	76.17	75.56	75.56	145	1050	138
ROADGOING STANDARD 1401-2000CC	MG ZR 160	77.81	75.88	75.88	160	1195	134
ROADGOING MODIFIED UP TO 1400CC	Austin Mini	76.28	87.12	76.28	130	760	171
ROADGOING MODIFIED UP TO 1400CC	Citroen C1	76.81	77	76.81	96	890	108
MODIFIED PRODUCTION 1401-2000CC	Mazda MX5	79.31	77.65	77.65	120	1050	114
ROADGOING MODIFIED UP TO 1400CC	MG ZR	77.83	77.72	77.72	110	1215	91
ROADGOING MODIFIED UP TO 1400CC	Nissan Micra 1.3GX	78.78	78.25	78.25	75	880	85
ROADGOING STANDARD 1401-2000CC	MG B Roadster	79.49	78.48	78.48	125	1000	125
ROADGOING MODIFIED 4WD	Subaru Impreza	83.76	79.08	79.08	275	1380	199
ROADGOING MODIFIED UP TO 1400CC	Nissan Micra 1.3GX	81.67	80.22	80.22	75	880	85
ROADGOING STANDARD UP TO 1400CC	Jaguar X-Type Diesel	81.26	80.48	80.48	152	1580	96
MODIFIED PRODUCTION 1401-2000CC	MGA Coupe	82.47	81.73	81.73	110	1030	107
ROADGOING STANDARD 1401-2000CC	MG B GT	82.85	82.8	82.8	100	1000	100
ROADGOING MODIFIED 1401-2000CC	Honda S2000	FAIL	86.12	86.12	240	1330	180

As you can see from the times the C1 fared reasonably well and if you were to allow the 107% rule like they do in Formula 1 this would put the car on level pegging with an Elise R with a power to weight ratio more than double that of the C1. It just shows how depressing it must be for an F1 team to fail to qualify, at least i'd have an excuse for being beaten by a much faster car. Technically the F1 teams should have pretty much the same kit!