Citroën (French pronunciation: [si.tʁɔ.ˈɛn]) is a major French automobile manufacturer, part of the PSA Peugeot Citroën group.

Founded in 1919 by French industrialist André-Gustave Citroën (1878–1935), Citroën was the first mass-production car company outside the USA ^[4] and pioneered the modern concept of creating a sales and services network that complements the motor car.^[5] Within eight years Citroën had become Europe's largest car manufacturer and the 4th largest in the world.^[6]

The Eiffel Tower served as a billboard for Citroën from 1925 to 1934.

Citroën earned a reputation for innovation and revolutionary engineering, which is reflected in the company's slogan "Créative Technologie". Its history of innovation began with its founding, when André-Gustave Citroën introduced the first industrial mass production of vehicles outside the United States, a technique he developed mass-producing armaments for the French military in World War I. In 1924, Citroën produced Europe’s first all-steel-bodied car, the B-10.^[7] In 1934, Citroën secured its reputation for innovation with its Traction Avant, not only the world's first mass-produced front-wheel drive car, but also one of the first cars to feature a monocoque-type body.^[8] In 1954 Citroën produced the world's first hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension system,^{[citation needed]} then in 1955 the revolutionary Citroën DS, the first European production car with disc brakes.^{[citation needed]} In 1967, Citroën introduced the first swiveling headlights in several models, allowing for greater visibility on winding roads.

The brand celebrated its 90th Anniversary in 2009.

History[link]

Early years[link]

André Citroën

André Citroën built armaments for France during World War I; after the war, however, he had a factory without a product. In 1919, the business started to produce automobiles, beginning with the conventional Type A. The Type A was designed by Jules Salomon, Chief Design Officer from Le Zèbre.

That same year, André Citroën briefly negotiated with General Motors on a proposed sale of the Citroën company to GM.^[9] The deal nearly closed, but GM ultimately decided that its management and capital would be too overstretched by the takeover.^[9] Citroën thus remained independent for many years to come.

Citroën was a keen marketer—he used the Eiffel Tower as the world's largest advertising sign, as recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.^[10] He also sponsored expeditions in Asia (Croisière Jaune) and Africa (Croisière Noire), intended to demonstrate the potential for motor vehicles equipped with the Kégresse track system to cross inhospitable regions. The expeditions conveyed scientists and journalists.

Demonstrating extraordinary toughness, a 1923 Citroën that had already travelled 48,000 km was the first car to be driven around Australia. The car, a 1923 Citroën 5CV Type C Torpedo, was driven by Neville Westwood from Perth, Western Australia on a round trip from August to December 1925. The car is now fully restored and in the collection of the National Museum of Australia.^[11]

In 1924, Citroën began a business relationship with American engineer Edward G. Budd. From 1899, Budd had worked to develop stainless steel bodies for railroad cars, for the Pullman in particular. Budd went on to manufacture steel bodies for many automakers, Dodge being his first big auto client. At the Paris Motor Show in October 1924, Citroën introduced the Citroën B10, the first all-steel body in Europe.^[7]

The cars were initially successful in the marketplace, but soon competitors (who were still using a wooden structure for their bodies), introduced new body designs. Citroën did not redesign the bodies of his cars. Citroëns still sold in large quantities in spite of not changing the body design, but the car's low price was the main selling point and Citroën experienced heavy losses.^{[citation needed]}

In an attempt to remedy the situation, Citroën developed the Traction Avant. The Traction Avant had three revolutionary features: a unitary body with no separate frame, front wheel independent suspension, and front wheel drive. Citroën commissioned Budd to create a prototype, which evolved into the 7 horsepower (CV), 32 hp (24 kW) Traction Avant of 1934.

In 1933, Citroën also introduced the Rosalie, the first commercially available passenger car with a diesel engine, developed with Harry Ricardo.

1919 Citroën A 8CV Torpedo

1921 Citroën B2 Torpedo

1923 "Type C" 5CV

1933 Citroën Rosalie Coupe 15CV

Michelin era[link]

Achieving quick development of the Traction Avant and its production facilities at the same time was too costly and overly ambitious, causing the financial ruin of the company. In December 1934, despite the assistance of the Michelin company, Citroën filed for bankruptcy. Within the month, Michelin, already the car manufacturer's largest creditor, became in addition its principal shareholder. Fortunately for Michelin, the technologically advanced Traction Avant met with market acceptance, and the basic philosophy that had led to this design continued. Pierre Michelin became the chairman of Citroën. Pierre-Jules Boulanger became the vice-president of Citroën and chief of the Engineering and Design department. In 1935 André Citroën died from stomach cancer.

Pierre-Jules Boulanger had been a First World War air reconnaissance photography specialist with the French airforce. He was capable and effective, and finished the war having risen to the rank of captain. He was also courageous, decorated with the Military Cross and the Legion of Honour. He started working for Michelin in 1918, reporting directly to Édouard Michelin, co-director and founder of the business. Boulanger joined the Michelin board in 1922. He became president of Citroën in 1937 after the death of his friend and kept his position until his death in 1950. In 1938, he also became Michelin's joint managing director.

During the German occupation of France in World War II Boulanger refused to meet Dr. Ferdinand Porsche or communicate with the German authorities except through intermediaries. He organised a "go slow" of production of trucks for the Wehrmacht, many of which were sabotaged at the factory, by putting the notch on the oil dipstick in the wrong place, resulting in engine seizure. In 1944 when the Gestapo headquarters in Paris was sacked by the French Resistance, his name was prominent on a Nazi blacklist of the most important "Enemies of the Reich" to be arrested in the event of an allied invasion of France.^[12]

Citroën researchers continued their work in secret, against the express orders of the Germans, and developed the concepts that were later brought to market in the 2CV and DS. These were widely regarded by contemporary journalists as avant garde, even radical, solutions to automotive design. This began a period of unusual brand loyalty, normally seen in the automobile industry only in niche brands, like Porsche and Ferrari. The cult-like appeal of the cars to Citroënistes took almost two decades to fade, from 1975 to about 1995.^{[citation needed]}

Citroën was undercapitalised, so its vehicles had a tendency of being underdeveloped at launch, with limited distribution and service networks. For both the important DS and CX models, development of the original engine around which the design was planned proved too expensive for the finances available, and the actual engine used in both cases was a modest and outdated four-cylinder design.

Citroën unveiled the 2CV (2 fiscal horsepower, initially only 12 HP) at the Paris Salon in 1948. The car became a bestseller, achieving the designer's aim of providing rural French people with a motorized alternative to the horse. This car remained in production, with only minor changes, until 1990 and was a common sight on French roads until recently.

1955 saw the introduction of the DS, the first full usage of Citroën's now legendary hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension system that was tested on the rear suspension of the last of the Tractions. The DS was the first European production car with disc brakes.

The DS featured power steering, power brakes and power suspension, and—from 1968—directional headlights. A single high-pressure system was used to activate pistons in the gearbox cover to shift the gears in the transmission and to operate the clutch on the Citromatic, Citroën's semi-automatic transmission.

This high-pressure hydraulic system would form the basis of many Citroën cars, including the SM, GS, CX, BX, XM, Xantia, C5 and C6. These vehicles shared the distinguishing feature of rising to operating ride height when the engine was turned on, like a "mechanical camel" (per Car & Driver magazine). A lever beside the driver's seat allowed the driver to adjust the height of the car, this has now been replaced by an electronic switch. The height-adjustability of the suspension allows for clearing obstacles, fording shallow (slow-moving) streams, and changing tires. This type of suspension is uniquely able to absorb road irregularities without disturbing the occupants.

During Citroën's venture with Maserati, the Citroën high-pressure hydraulic system was used on several Maserati models, for power clutch operation (Bora), power pedal adjustment (Bora), pop-up headlights (Bora, Merak), brakes (Bora, Merak, Khamsin), steering (Khamsin), and the entire Quattroporte II prototype, which was a four-door Citroën SM under the skin.

Citroën was one of the early pioneers of the now widespread trend of aerodynamic automobile design, which helps to reduce fuel consumption and improve high-speed performance by reducing wind resistance. The firm began using a wind tunnel in the 1950s, enabling them to create highly streamlined cars such as the DS which were years ahead of their time. So good were the aerodynamics of the CX, that it took its name from the term used to measure drag coeffient – Failed to parse (Missing texvc executable; please see math/README to configure.): \bold c_\mathrm x\, .

1951 Citroen Traction Avant

1955 Citroen 2CV

Citroen H Van

Citroën DS

Financial restructuring[link]

In 1963, Citroën negotiated with Peugeot to cooperate in the purchase of raw materials and equipment. Talks were broken off in 1965.

That year Citroën took over the French carmaker Panhard in the hope of using Panhard's expertise in midsize cars to complement its own range of very small, cheap cars (e.g., 2CV/Ami) and large, expensive cars (e.g., DS/ID). Cooperation between both companies had begun 12 years earlier, and they had agreed to a partial merger of their sales networks in 1953. Panhard ceased making vehicles in 1967.

1968 saw a restructuring of Citroën's worldwide operations under a new holding company, Citroën SA. Michelin, Citroën's long-time controlling shareholder, sold a 49% stake to Fiat, in what was referred to as the PARDEVI agreement (Participation et Développement Industriels).

That year Citroën purchased the Italian sports car maker Maserati and launched the grand tourer SM, which featured a V6 Maserati engine and a fully powered steering system called DIRAVI. The SM was engineered as if it were replacing the DS, a level of investment the GT sector alone would never be able to support, even in the best of circumstances. Circumstances became more unfavorable as the 1970s progressed. Citroën suffered another financial blow in the 1973 energy crisis. In 1974, the carmaker withdrew from North America, due to design regulations that outlawed core features of Citroën cars.

Huge losses at Citroën were caused by failure of the Comotor rotary engine venture, plus the strategic error of going the 15 years from 1955 to 1970 without a model in the profitable middle range of the European market, and the massive development costs for the GS, CX, SM, Maserati Bora, Maserati Merak, and Maserati Khamsin models—each a technological marvel in its own right.

Citroën SM

Maserati Bora

Citroën GS Birotor

Citroën CX

PSA era[link]

This article may contain original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding references. Statements consisting only of original research may be removed. More details may be available on the talk page. (September 2009)

Citroën was weak and unable to withstand the softening of the automobile market that accompanied the 1973 oil crisis. That year Fiat withdrew from PARDEVI and returned its 49% stake to Michelin. This was an ominous sign of things to come and, less than a year later, Citroën went bankrupt. The French government feared large job losses and arranged talks between Michelin and Peugeot, in which it was decided to merge Automobiles Citroën and Automobiles Peugeot into a single company. In 1974, Peugeot purchased 38.2% of Citroën and became responsible for managing the combined activities, in particular their research, purchasing, and investments departments.

Peugeot sold off Maserati to De Tomaso in May 1975, and the Italian firm was quickly able to exploit the image of the Maserati brand to sell tens of thousands of newly designed Bi-Turbo models.

The takeover was completed in May 1976, as Peugeot SA purchased a 90% stake of Citroën SA and the companies were combined into a holding company, known as PSA Peugeot Citroën.

The PSA venture was a financial success from 1976 to 1979. Citroën had two successful new designs in the market at this time (the GS and CX), a resurgent Citroën 2CV, and the Citroën Dyane in the wake of the oil crisis, and Peugeot was typically prudent in its own finances, launching the Peugeot 104 based Citroën Visa and Citroën LNA. PSA then purchased the aging assets of Chrysler Europe, which it rebranded as Talbot, leading to losses from 1980 to 1985.

PSA gradually diluted Citroën's ambitious attitude to engineering and styling in an effort to rebrand the marque to appeal to a wider market. In the 1980s, Citroën models became increasingly Peugeot-based, following the worldwide motor industry trend called "platform sharing." The 1982 BX used the hydropneumatic suspension system and still had a Citroënesque appearance, while being powered by Peugeot-derived engines and using the floorpan later seen on the Peugeot 405. By the late 1980s, many of the distinctive features of the marque had been removed or diluted – conventional Peugeot switchgear replaced Citroën's quirky but ergonomic "Lunule" designs,^[13] complete with self cancelling indicators that Citroën had previously refused to adopt on ergonomic grounds.

Citroën expanded into many new geographic markets. In the late 1970s, the firm developed a small car for production in Romania known as the Oltcit, which it sold in Western Europe as the Citroën Axel. Sales were adversely affected by poor build quality. That joint venture has ended, but a new one between PSA and Toyota is now producing cars like the Citroën C1 in the Czech Republic.

In China, Citroën began selling cars in 1984, and currently builds a range of family cars including the C3 and Xsara and locally designed cars like the Fukang and Elysée models. Citroën is a global brand except in North America, where the company has not returned since the SM was effectively banned in 1974 for not meeting U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) bumper regulations.

Production of the versatile 2CV was ended in 1990. Companies like Chrysler with the CCV concept car, Toyota with the Scion xB and Honda with the Element have recognized the 2CV concept and translated it to the modern era. More recently, Citroën has introduced the C3 Pluriel, an unusual convertible with strong allusions to the 2CV, both in body style (such as the bonnet) and in its all-round practicality. The Pluriel is but one example of Citroën's return to innovation, after launching somewhat dull (although efficient) models throughout the 1990s. Other examples are the C2, C4, and C6.^{[citation needed]}

Citroën Visa

Citroën BX

Citroën Berlingo

Citroën Xantia

In 2009, Citroën sold 1,302,900 cars. Citroën subsequently announced that it was setting up a premium series of cars under the DS name that would run parallel alongside its current car range. The DS range was launched early in 2010 with the DS3, a premium small car based on the floor plan of the new C3. The DS3 will be followed by the larger DS4 and the large DS5 respectively. Their rear badge is a new DS logo rather than the familiar Citroën double chevron and all will have markedly different styling from their equivalent sister car.^[14][15]

Citroën C3 Pluriel

Citroën C4

DS 3

Citroën Metropolis

Logo[link]

The origin of the logo may be traced back to a trip made to Poland by the 22-year-old André Citroën, where he discovered an innovative design for a chevron-shaped gear used in milling. He bought the patent for its application in steel. Mechanically a gear with helical teeth produces an axial force. By adding a second helical gear in opposition this force is cancelled. The two chevrons of the logo represent the intermeshing contact of the two.^[16]

The presentation of the logo has evolved over time. Before the war, it was rendered in yellow on a blue background. After the war, the chevrons became more subtle herringbones, usually on a white background. With the company searching for a new image during the 1980s, the logo became white on red to give an impression of dynamism, emphasized by publicity slogan.

In February 2009 Citroën launched a new brand identity to celebrate its 90th Anniversary, replacing the 1985 design. This consisted of the new logo, designed by Landor Associates^[17] — a 3D metallic variation of the double chevron logo accompanied by a new font for the Citroën name and the new slogan "Créative Technologie". A TV campaign reminiscing over 90 years of Citroën was commissioned to announce the new identity to the public.^[18] The new look is currently being rolled out to dealers globally and is expected to take three to five years.

Citroën Racing[link]

Citroën Racing, previously known as Citroën Sport, is the team responsible for Citroën's sporting activities. They are a winning competitor in the World Rally Championship. After an abortive attempt with the Group B Citroën BX 4TC in 1986, the team returned with the Citroën ZX Rally Raid to win the Rally Raid Manufacturer's Championship in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997 with Pierre Lartigue and Ari Vatanen. They won the Dakar Rally in 1991, 1994, 1995, and 1996.

From 2001 the team started participating in the World Rally Championship, winning the Manufacturer's Title in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. In 2004, 2005, and 2006, French driver Sébastien Loeb won the Drivers' Championship driving the Citroën Xsara WRC, in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 with the Citroën C4 WRC, and in 2011 with the Citroën DS3 WRC.

Awards[link]

European Car of the Year awards[link]

• 1971: Citroën GS
• 1975: Citroën CX
• 1990: Citroën XM

Several models were shortlisted including the 1971 Citroën SM, 1988 AX, 1994 Xantia, 2003 C3, 2005 C4 and 2007 Citroën Grand C4 Picasso.

USA Car of the Year award[link]

• 1972 Citroën SM Motor Trend Car of the Year

See also[link]

	Paris portal
	Companies portal

• List of Citroën vehicles
• List of French companies
• Lane departure warning system
• Citroën World Rally Team

References[link]

Notes

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Citroën

• Official website
• Citroën UK
• Citroën Australia

Sébastien Loeb Sébastien Loeb at the 2010 Rally Bulgaria Personal information Nationality  French Born (1974-02-26) 26 February 1974 (age 38) World Rally Championship record Active years 1999 – present Teams Citroën, Kronos Citroën Rallies 157 Championships 8 (2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) Rally wins 71 Podiums 107 Stage wins 837 Total points 1400 First rally 1999 Rally Catalunya First win 2002 Rallye Deutschland Last win 2012 Acropolis Rally 24 Hours of Le Mans career Participating years 2005–2006 Teams Pescarolo Sport Best finish 2nd (2006) Class wins 0

Sébastien Loeb (born 26 February 1974 in Haguenau, Alsace) is a French rally driver currently driving for the Citroën World Rally Team in the World Rally Championship (WRC). He has won the world championship a record eight times in a row,^[1] and also holds several other WRC records, including most points, wins and podium finishes.

Originally a gymnast, Loeb switched to rallying in 1995 and won the Junior World Rally Championship in 2001. Signed by the Citroën factory team for the 2002 season, he and co-driver Daniel Elena took their debut WRC win that same year at the Rallye Deutschland. After finishing runner-up to Petter Solberg by one point in 2003, Loeb took his first drivers' title in 2004. Continuing with Citroën, he went on to take a record eighth consecutive world title in 2011. Loeb is a tarmac expert, having won all but three WRC rallies on that surface since 2005.

Besides his success in rallying, Loeb is a three-time winner at the Race of Champions, after taking home the Henri Toivonen Memorial Trophy and the title "Champion of Champions" in 2003, 2005 and 2008. In 2004, he won the Nations' Cup for France with Jean Alesi. In 2006, he finished second in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2009, Loeb was made knight of the Légion d'honneur.

Career[link]

Rallying[link]

Early career[link]

Loeb and Elena at the 2001 Rally Finland

Loeb was born in Haguenau, Alsace, and grew up in Oberhoffen-sur-Moder. He competed as gymnast and became a four-time Alsatian champion, once champion of the French Grand East, and fifth in the French championship.^[2] He broke off school in 1992 but resumed taking classes in 1994, aiming at a professional formation in electrical engineering. On 12 September 1994, in parallel with his classes, he started working as an electrician at the Socalec company near Haguenau Airport, where he was the oldest apprentice and already noted for his daring/reckless driving style and his tendency not to be punctual. He could count, though, on the understanding of his boss, who was himself fascinated by speed and owned a Ferrari Testarossa 512 TR.^[3]

In 1995, at age 21, he quit his job and classes and definitely turned his attention to racing. In 1998, he started entering events in the French Citroën Saxo Trophy series, winning the title in 1999. Guy Fréquelin, Citroën Sport's team principal, would serve as Loeb's mentor as he entered the Junior World Rally Championship in 2001, becoming the series' first champion by winning five of the six events. During this year, he was also released for participation in the Rallye Sanremo in the Citroën Xsara WRC. In only his third world rally with a World Rally Car, he surprisingly hounded Peugeot tarmac specialist and eventual victor Gilles Panizzi to the finish.

2002–03[link]

Loeb during Citroën's testing in Finland in May 2002

The 2002 season was Loeb's first as a WRC driver with the Citroën Total World Rally Team, although the team only participated in seven rounds in the build-up to their full entry the following year. Loeb started the season by provisionally winning the Monte Carlo Rally, after racing under appeal due to a two-minute time penalty incurred by an illegal tyre change during the second day. Citroën considered the penalty too severe but later withdrew the appeal, and Subaru's Tommi Mäkinen then took a record fourth consecutive Monte Carlo win. Loeb later took his debut victory at the Rallye Deutschland in Germany, edging out Peugeot's Richard Burns.

In 2003, his first full season in the championship, Loeb won three WRC events, Monte Carlo, Germany and Sanremo, before losing to Petter Solberg in the Wales Rally Great Britain, also losing the championship to him by just one point. Loeb's reputation grew as he defeated his more illustrious team mates – Carlos Sainz and Colin McRae – over the course of the season. At the end of the year, he earned the title "Champion of Champions" by beating Marcus Grönholm in the final of the Race of Champions.

2004[link]

Loeb at the 2004 Cyprus Rally

In the 2004 season, Loeb dominated the WRC scene in a similar way to the Michael Schumacher domination of Formula One the same year, by winning six events and taking six runner-up spots to securely give him the drivers' title, 36 points clear of second-placed Solberg. His six WRC victories tied the record for victories in one season with fellow Frenchman Didier Auriol, who won six events in 1992. He was also responsible for Citroën's second manufacturers' title in a row.

Originally known as a tarmac specialist, 2004 was the year Loeb proved himself capable of winning on other surfaces as well. He won the snow-based Swedish Rally, becoming the first non-Nordic to win the event. On gravel, he triumphed in the Cyprus Rally, Rally of Turkey and the Rally Australia. On tarmac, he continued his success in Monte Carlo and Germany.

2005[link]

Loeb at the 2005 Cyprus Rally

In 2005, with victory in the ninth round in Argentina, Loeb became the first to win six consecutive rallies, beating Timo Salonen's record of four from 1985. Having already won the season-opening Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo, he also became the first to win seven in a season, beating his (and Didier Auriol's) own record of six wins in a season. Loeb was in a position to clinch the title while leading the Wales Rally Great Britain, but after it was announced that the last two stages of the rally would be abandoned due to the death of Markko Märtin's co-driver Michael Park in an accident on stage 15, Loeb deliberately incurred a two-minute penalty to drop him to third place and avoid retaining his title in such circumstances. He went on to secure the title by finishing second to Peugeot's Marcus Grönholm at the next rally in Japan.

Loeb eventually extended his win record to ten and won the title with a 56-point margin, breaking a 25-year-old record; Walter Röhrl's margin over Hannu Mikkola in 1980 was 54. Loeb set several other records during the season as well. He won all twelve stages in the 2005 Tour de Corse in France, which marked the first time a driver had won every stage of a WRC rally. Loeb's twelve podium and thirteen points-scoring finishes in a row were also new records in the series.

In the Race of Champions, after being surprised by the young event rookie Heikki Kovalainen last year, he beat Tom Kristensen in the final to claim his second title.

2006[link]

Loeb at the 2006 Rally Japan

Citroën's parent company, PSA Peugeot Citroën, pulled both manufacturers out of the WRC at the end of 2005, but Citroën planned to return in 2007 with the C4 WRC, and developed the car during 2006. Loeb was closely involved with this as he was guaranteed the leading role in the team at the comeback. In the meantime, a 'gap year' beckoned in the privateer ranks, namely with Citroën-sponsored Kronos Racing entered as the Kronos Total Citroën World Rally Team.

In order to score on the first round in Monte Carlo, Loeb was initially forced to activate the SupeRally rules for retiring competitors, having spun off the road on day one. Although he did manage to fight his way back to second place, it was the first time he had ever been beaten to the finish (namely by fellow double world champion Marcus Grönholm) on these roads in the Xsara WRC. This outcome was mirrored on the following month's Swedish Rally, with Grönholm again the man to whom Loeb was forced to give best, placing the duo in an early runaway 1–2 position in the points standings.

Loeb on a road section during the 2006 Rally Finland

But the Frenchman's bridesmaid status was not to last, and racking up a triumph on the ensuing Rally Mexico – the first of five on the trot that season – propelled him into a championship lead he was never to lose. He tied Carlos Sainz's record number of 26 individual rally victories in August with a fifth consecutive victory in Germany. With his subsequent victory in Japan, the world record of 27 victories and counting eventually became his. His victory in Cyprus put him on the verge of a third consecutive World Rally Championship title.

Shortly after Loeb broke his right humerus in a mountain-biking accident near his home in Switzerland and missed the rallies in Turkey and Australia. In spite of this, Loeb had accumulated such a huge point lead before Turkey that Marcus Grönholm's failure to finish third or better in Australia handed Loeb the 2006 championship crown. He received the news at home via an Internet video link to the rally HQ. Due to the time difference, he made do with early morning coffee instead of the customary champagne, calling the whole experience "strange".

2007[link]

Loeb at the 2007 Rally Catalunya

For 2007, Sébastien Loeb returned as an official Citroën driver, with the new Citroën C4 WRC. He won the 75ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo, the first race for the new C4, following that up with a solid second place after Grönholm, in Sweden, to set up a two-point lead over the Finn after two of 16 rounds. At the first Rally Norway, Loeb went off and lost eight minutes during SS12 while chasing Grönholm and the leader, Mikko Hirvonen. On the next stage, he made another mistake and lost nine minutes. He eventually finished 14th in the rally and dropped to third in the championship standings. He won 8 of the 18 stages in this rally. Loeb won the next rally, the 21º Corona Rally México, 55.8 seconds clear of Grönholm.

He then followed this success up with his third and fourth season victories on the Portuguese and Argentinian rallies. Characteristically, he was once more to be found in the lead on the seventh round, the Rally d' Italia in Sardinia. On new stages on the final leg to those of the previous year, however, Loeb was once more to lament error and the surrender of probable victory, this time after crashing and breaking his suspension in a ditch. He left the lead in the hands of Grönholm, who won to propel himself seven points ahead of Loeb at the top of the championship standings. A second loss to the Finn in as many years on the Acropolis Rally then extended the deficit to nine points over the championship's summer break.

Loeb occupied his recess by, amongst other engagements, competing in the Shell Donegal International Rally on 15, 16 and 17 June, partially as preparation for the coming Rally Ireland world championship round that November. He scored a comprehensive victory, albeit only after being given a scare by the pace of tenacious private Subaru-mounted Mark Higgins. Punctures afflicted upon his rival eventually settled the contest.

Ambitions of finally scoring victory on Rally Finland proved once more unrealized, with Loeb relegated to third place behind the pacy natives Grönholm and Hirvonen. Rallye Deutschland, as was traditional, differed somewhat. Although, at the scene of his first victory and on a rally where he had never subsequently lost, Loeb was left unexpectedly to fend off the challenge not of the Finn, but of a privateer, his one-time team-mate and championship returnee François Duval, he came to eventually triumph, reducing some of his championship points deficit.

Loeb at the 2007 Wales Rally GB

A very close battle on the gravel stages of Rally New Zealand ended with the closest second place in the whole of World Rally history – Loeb finished only 0.3 s behind his main rival. The next two rounds, however, allowed the French driver to regain some points, as he won both tarmac events – Rallye Espana, where his teammate Danni Sordo additionally took second place and two points from Grönholm, and Rally France.

Rally Japan was another dramatic event – Loeb got the chance to take the lead in Championship after Grönholm's early mistake,^[4] but he was unable to, as his co-driver mistake caused the C4 to go off road on one of the stages of second leg. Both drivers ended with no points after finally retiring from the event.^[5] In Ireland, during 1st Rally Ireland almost the same story happened – Marcus Grönholm overcooked a slippery right corner on one of the early stages, trying to keep a fast pace, and had to retire from the rally. Loeb made use of his rival's mistake and, by making no major mistakes, although having some suspension-related problems with keeping pace at the beginning,^[6] he added 10 points to his account, moving ahead of Finnish driver just one round before the season's end. In Wales he was not fighting for the win, focusing mostly on securing his advantage, finishing the event third – on 2 December 2007 Loeb became World Rally Champion for the fourth time in a row.^[7]

2008[link]

Loeb with his C4 WRC at the 2008 Monte Carlo Rally

Loeb started the 2008 season with a record fifth win in Monte Carlo.^[8] On the second rally of the year, 2008 Swedish Rally, he crashed out during day one. Although he re-joined the rally to collect manufacturers' points, the team later decided to retire him due to a damaged engine. After winning in Mexico and Argentina, Loeb had a crash with Conrad Rautenbach in Jordan, from which he could only recover to take tenth place in the rally. He went on to win two events, and then finish close third to the Ford factory team duo Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala at the Rally of Turkey.

Loeb later notably won the Rally Finland ahead of Hirvonen. This was the fourth time in the event's 58-year history that a non-Nordic driver won the rally, after Carlos Sainz in 1990, Didier Auriol in 1992 and Markko Märtin in 2003. This started a string of five victories for Loeb. In Germany, New Zealand and Spain, Citroën also took double wins as his team-mate Dani Sordo took three runner-up spots in a row.

Loeb during the 2008 Rally Argentina

Going into the penultimate round of the season, the 2008 Rally Japan, Loeb led Hirvonen by 14 points and needed a third place to secure the world drivers' title. Finishing behind Ford's Hirvonen and Latvala, Loeb broke Juha Kankkunen's, Tommi Mäkinen's and his own record of four titles and became the first five-time world champion in rallying.^[9]

After clinching the World Rally Championship, Loeb edged out Latvala to take his first Wales Rally GB win, a feat which also helped secure his team their first manufacturers' title since 2005, from 2006 and 2007 victors Ford. In December, Loeb won the individual 2008 Race of Champions, becoming the second driver after compatriot Auriol to win the event more than twice.

2009[link]

Loeb during the shakedown in Cyprus

Loeb started the year by winning Rally Ireland for the second time since 2007. He then won his first Rally Norway ever, after a fierce battle with Mikko Hirvonen, lasting throughout the very final stage. Being first on the road through all three days, Loeb kept his lead, in the end winning with 9.8 seconds over Hirvonen. Loeb continued his good form by winning over Hirvonen in Cyprus, marking his career 50th victory, and in Portugal. His victory in Argentina, the fifth in a row in this country, was also his fifth victory in a row since the start of the season.

At the Rally d'Italia Sardegna, Loeb had a puncture after going off the road and dropped from third to fourth.^[10] Although he passed Petter Solberg for the final podium spot, he still finished fourth due to a time penalty for a safety rule violation; co-driver Daniel Elena had unfastened his safety belts before the crew stopped the car for a tyre change.^[11] At the Acropolis Rally, Loeb crashed out from third place.^[12] On Rally Poland's return to the WRC, Loeb had another crash but he continued in the event under superally rules. After team orders issued for the Citroën Junior Team drivers and a late mistake by Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala, Loeb found himself seventh but had lost the championship lead to Hirvonen by one point.^[13]

By winning the Rally Catalunya, Loeb reduced the deficit to Hirvonen in the title race before the final event of the year; once again trailing by a single point.^[14] The Frenchman gained the championship by winning the final event of the year, the Rally GB. Victory was secured partly due to an incredible performance over SS8 and SS9, where in the course of only two stages Loeb extended his lead in the rally over Hirvonen from 2.4s to 25s.^[15][16]

2010[link]

Loeb in Sofia before the 2010 Rally Bulgaria

The 2010 WRC season started with the snow-based Swedish Rally, where Loeb finished second behind Ford's Mikko Hirvonen. He went on to take a clear championship lead by winning the following three gravel events: Rally México, Jordan Rally and Rally of Turkey. In New Zealand, Loeb finished third in a tight battle that saw the top five finish within 26 seconds of each other. In Portugal, Loeb narrowly lost the win to his countryman Sébastien Ogier of the Citroën Junior Team, who took his debut win in the World Rally Championship. In the following Rally Bulgaria, a new event in the series and the season's first tarmac rally, Loeb won while Citroën scored the WRC's first 1–2–3–4 in seventeen years.^[17]

At the 60th Rally Finland, Loeb beat Citroën privateer Petter Solberg to the final podium position, behind Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala and Ogier. He went on to win the Rallye Deutschland for the eighth time in a row, marking the first time a driver has won a WRC rally eight times.^[18] After a fifth place in Japan, Loeb secured a record-extending seventh consecutive World Rally Championship title by winning his home event, the Rallye de France. As the Rallye de France–Alsace had replaced the Tour de Corse as the French round of the WRC, Loeb ended up clinching the title on a final stage that was held in his home town of Haguenau, Alsace.^[19][20] Loeb later took part in the Race of Champions, driving for Team France alongside four-time Formula One World Champion Alain Prost. In the individual event, he made it to the final for the seventh time but lost to surprise winner Filipe Albuquerque.

2011[link]

Loeb at the 2011 Rally de Portugal

The 2011 season brought a new generation of World Rally Cars. Now at the wheel of a Citroën DS3 WRC, Loeb started his year by finishing sixth at the Rally Sweden. He went on to win in Mexico for the fifth time in row, after teammate Sébastien Ogier crashed out from a narrow lead.^[21] In Portugal, Loeb finished second to Ogier and took his first Power Stage win, collecting three more points from the final stage.^[22] At the Jordan Rally, held during the Arab Spring, the entire first day was cancelled. Loeb placed third behind the closest-ever finish in the history of the World Rally Championship.^[23] He then beat Ford's Mikko Hirvonen to the win at the Rally d'Italia Sardegna.

In Argentina, Loeb won after a tight three-way battle, taking the lead from Ogier on the final stage and finishing 2.4 seconds ahead of Hirvonen.^[24] At the next event, the Acropolis Rally in Greece, Loeb had to settle for second behind Ogier. In the high-speed Rally Finland, he beat Jari-Matti Latvala to become the first non-Nordic driver to win twice in the event's 60-year history.^[25] In August, Loeb signed a two-year contract extension with Citroën.^[26] At the Rallye Deutschland, Loeb held a close lead ahead of Ogier after the first day and Citroën decided to freeze the situation. A puncture later dropped Loeb out of contention and he finished behind his teammate. This ended his record win streak in Germany and was the first time that he had lost in a tarmac-based event since the 2006 Monte Carlo Rally. Tension in the team grew; David Evans of Autosport wrote that "it's war between the two Sebs".^[27]

Loeb at the Acropolis Rally

Before Australia, Loeb held a 25-point lead in the championship ahead of Ogier. During the first day of the rally, both Sébastiens crashed out. Loeb later gained a point by climbing to tenth place after Citroën ordered Ogier to slow down.^[28] In his home event, the Rallye de France, Loeb took the lead from the start but soon fell victim to a rare engine failure in his DS3 WRC and had to retire. As Ogier beat Mini's Dani Sordo to the win, Loeb now tied the lead in the championship with Hirvonen, and Ogier was only three points adrift. At the Rally Catalunya, Loeb took his fifth win of the season and broke Markku Alén's record (801) for most stage wins in the world championship.^[29] He carried an eight-point lead over Hirvonen into the season-ending Wales Rally GB. Loeb took the rally lead from Latvala on the third stage, but lost it to Hirvonen by 0.4 seconds on stage six. However, Hirvonen soon went wide, spun and broke his radiator, which in turn caused severe engine problems. As he was unable to restart, Loeb secured his eighth consecutive world championship. This title moved him ahead of seven-time champion Michael Schumacher in terms of major motorsport championships won.^[30] While running in second place behind Latvala, Loeb retired from the rally due to a road section collision with a spectator who had driven his car on the wrong side of a narrow road.^[31][32]

2012[link]

Loeb at the 2012 Monte Carlo Rally

In the first round in 2012, the Monte Carlo Rally, Loeb took his first win of the season and secured maximum 28 points with a fastest time on the power stage. In Sweden, after hitting a snowbank on stage seven, Loeb was forced out of the fight for the number one spot. He finished sixth and gained three extra points by winning the power stage. Loeb took his second victory of the season at the Rally Mexico, ahead of his new teammate Mikko Hirvonen. In Portugal, he crashed out on the night stages of the first day after mishearing a pacenote. He took his 70th WRC victory in Rally Argentina.

Racing[link]

Le Mans/Sports Cars[link]

As his WRC stature grew, Loeb began to participate in road racing events and tests. He first competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race in 2005, where he drove for the Pescarolo Sport team's No. 17 entry. Reportedly Loeb did much of his preparation for the race by running practice laps around the circuit in the Sony PlayStation 2 video game Gran Turismo 4 aboard a private jet.^[33] In the race the car was plagued by incidents, but Loeb proved to be able to drive fast for his first race on a closed track. Loeb finished second overall in the 2006 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Pescarolo-Judd, between the two Diesel-powered Audi R10.

Free time in his WRC schedule allows him to race in the French GT Championship (FFSA GT) where he drove a Ferrari 550 Prodrive and a Porsche 911 RSR as well as in the French Carrera Cup where he achieved top-10 finishes.

Formula One[link]

Loeb has had a number of Formula One tests. He first tested for Renault F1 at Paul Ricard in December 2007, in a switch that saw Heikki Kovalainen test Loeb's WRC car.^[34] Red Bull, which became a major sponsor of the Citroën factory team during the 2008 season, rewarded Loeb for winning the WRC with a Formula One test in Red Bull Racing's 2008-spec Red Bull RB4. He first drove the car at Silverstone, and then took part in the first official Formula One winter test in Barcelona.^[35] Loeb was eighth quickest of 17 drivers.^[36]

Loeb continued to set his sights on a switch to Formula One in 2009. Following stories that fellow Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais was under threat at Toro Rosso,^[37] Loeb told French newspaper L'Equipe that he was interested in replacing Bourdais at the Red Bull-backed team.^[38] He intended to make his F1 debut at the 2009 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix which took place in November, after the WRC season finished, with a view to making the switch full-time for 2010.^[39] However, this plan was scuppered when he was not granted an FIA Super Licence, rendering him ineligible to race in F1 for the foreseeable future as he had not done enough circuit racing at lower levels.^[40] He had also been in contact with the US F1 Team about a possible drive for 2010.^[41]

Loeb has also taken part in an official GP2 Series testing session after the 2009 season, where he drove for the David Price Racing team, finishing last of 25 drivers.

Personal life[link]

Loeb and co-driver Elena in 2008

Loeb has a wife, Séverine, and a daughter Valentine. They reside near Lausanne, Switzerland.^[42] He was made knight of the Légion d'honneur on May 27, 2009, by French president Nicolas Sarkozy.^[43] Loeb is a member of the "Champions for Peace" club, a group of 54 famous elite athletes committed to serving peace in the world through sport, created by Peace and Sport, a Monaco-based international organization.^[44]

Victories[link]

World Rally Championship victories (71)
#	Event	Season	Co-driver	Car
1	21. ADAC Rallye Deutschland	2002	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
2	71ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo	2003	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
3	22. ADAC Rallye Deutschland	2003	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
4	45º Rallye Sanremo – Rallye d'Italia	2003	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
5	72ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo	2004	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
6	53rd Uddeholm Swedish Rally	2004	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
7	32nd Cyprus Rally	2004	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
8	5th Rally of Turkey	2004	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
9	23. OMV ADAC Rallye Deutschland	2004	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
10	17th Telstra Rally Australia	2004	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
11	73ème Rallye Automobile Monte-Carlo	2005	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
12	35th Propecia Rally New Zealand	2005	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
13	2º Supermag Rally Italia Sardinia	2005	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
14	33rd Cyprus Rally	2005	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
15	6th Rally of Turkey	2005	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
16	52nd Acropolis Rally	2005	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
17	25º Rally Argentina	2005	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
18	24. OMV ADAC Rallye Deutschland	2005	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
19	49ème Tour de Corse – Rallye de France	2005	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
20	41º Rally RACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada	2005	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
21	20º Corona Rally México	2006	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
22	42º Rally RACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada	2006	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
23	50ème Tour de Corse – Rallye de France	2006	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
24	26º Rally Argentina	2006	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
25	3º Supermag Rally Italia Sardinia	2006	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
26	25. OMV ADAC Rallye Deutschland	2006	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
27	3rd Rally Japan	2006	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
28	34th Cyprus Rally	2006	Daniel Elena	Citroën Xsara WRC
29	75ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo	2007	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
30	21º Corona Rally México	2007	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
31	41º Vodafone Rally de Portugal	2007	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
32	27º Rally Argentina	2007	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
33	26. ADAC Rallye Deutschland	2007	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
34	43º Rally RACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada	2007	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
35	51ème Tour de Corse – Rallye de France	2007	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
36	1st Rally Ireland	2007	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
37	76ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo	2008	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
38	22º Corona Rally México	2008	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
39	28º Rally Argentina	2008	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
40	5º Supermag Rally Italia Sardinia	2008	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
41	55th BP Ultimate Acropolis Rally	2008	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
42	58th Neste Oil Rally Finland	2008	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
43	27. ADAC Rallye Deutschland	2008	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
44	38th Repco Rally New Zealand	2008	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
45	44º Rally RACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada	2008	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
46	52ème Tour de Corse – Rallye de France	2008	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
47	64th Wales Rally of Great Britain	2008	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
48	2nd Rally Ireland	2009	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
49	3rd Rally Norway	2009	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
50	37th Cyprus Rally	2009	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
51	43º Vodafone Rally de Portugal	2009	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
52	29º Rally Argentina	2009	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
53	45º Rally RACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada	2009	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
54	65th Wales Rally of Great Britain	2009	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
55	23º Corona Rally México	2010	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
56	28th Jordan Rally	2010	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
57	2010 Rally of Turkey	2010	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
58	2010 Rally Bulgaria	2010	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
59	28. ADAC Rallye Deutschland	2010	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
60	2010 Rallye de France	2010	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
61	46º Rally RACC Catalunya – Costa Daurada	2010	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
62	66th Wales Rally of Great Britain	2010	Daniel Elena	Citroën C4 WRC
63	24° Corona Rally México	2011	Daniel Elena	Citroën DS3 WRC
64	8° Rally d'Italia Sardegna	2011	Daniel Elena	Citroën DS3 WRC
65	31º Rally Argentina	2011	Daniel Elena	Citroën DS3 WRC
66	61st Rally Finland	2011	Daniel Elena	Citroën DS3 WRC
67	47º RACC Rally de España	2011	Daniel Elena	Citroën DS3 WRC
68	80ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo	2012	Daniel Elena	Citroën DS3 WRC
69	25° Guanajuato Rally México	2012	Daniel Elena	Citroën DS3 WRC
70	32nd Philips Rally Argentina	2012	Daniel Elena	Citroën DS3 WRC
71	58th Acropolis Rally	2012	Daniel Elena	Citroën DS3 WRC

• Loeb provisionally won the Monte Carlo event in 2002 but was later docked two minutes for an illegal tyre change and demoted to second place.
• Loeb also provisionally won the 2009 Rally Australia, but was penalized one minute to second place as his car was fitted with a non-regulation part.^[45]
• Loeb's win at the 2010 Rallye Deutschland was his eighth victory in a row there, marking a record for consecutive wins in a WRC event. He was the only driver to win the rally since its 2002 introduction to the WRC calendar, until 2011, when he was second and Sébastien Ogier won.

Complete WRC results[link]