Citroen makes its official debut in rally racing with the DS, whose extraordinary hydropneumatic suspension work makes short work of difficult road and weather conditions.

The DS is succeeded by the SM and the CX. At the end of the 1970s, the CX makes its mark in the Paris-Dakar rally.

Between 1990 and 1997, with the ZX Rally Raids, the Marque achieves a position of unchallenged supremacy, winning five constructors' titles in the world cup for cross-country rallying.

In 1997, Patrick Magaud takes second place in the French Championship with a Saxo Kit Car. Guylene Brun and Michel Peron provide back-up.

The Xsara Kit Car follows this excellent example, winning both the French and Spanish rally championships in 1998. Philippe Bugalski is French champion, with Jean-Paul Chiaroni as team-mate, while Jesus Puras and Carlos del Barrio take the Spanish championship.

Kenneth Hansen wins the 1998 European Rallycross Championship at the wheel of a Xsara. Jean-Luc Pailler wins his seventh rallycross championship title at the wheel of a Xantia, Marc Amourette becomes champion of division 2 with a Saxo Kit Car, while Sylvain Poulard is runner-up in the French rallycross championship. The chevrons are champions by nature!

In 2000 Citroen announced that it would enter the World Rally Championship at the highest level with the Citroen Xsara T4. Following hard on the heals on the dominant success of the two wheel drive Xsara Kit Car - so quick it beat the four wheel drive super cars in two 1999 World Championship events to take the ultimate prize - Citroen has developed a world class competition car to challenge the world's best.