Storming debut for Citroen Xsara T4.

Citro?n's 300bhp Xsara T4 World Rally Car stormed onto the international rallying stage this weekend by dominating the competition during the fourth round of the 2001 World Rally Championship in Catalunya, Spain.

The two Xsara WRC's stunned their rivals by winning over half of the 17 stages, and holding the lead for two of the three days, before technical problems prevented France's Philippe Bugalski from making contemporary rally history by winning in a car on its first rally.

"I cannot remember the last time a car was so successful on its first world rally," said Bugalski, who won eight of the 10 stages claimed by the Xsaras, the other two being won by team mate and early leader Jesus Puras. "We have done a lot of testing and that hard work showed. The power was there when I needed it, the traction was fabulous and the car felt like a winner."

Meanwhile, the Citro?n Saxo kit-car and its driver Sebastien Loeb dominated the new 'Super 1600 Championship', winning by a margin of almost three minutes.

Citroen have committed the Xsara to four rounds of the 2001 World Rally Championship. Their next outing will be at Europe's toughest event, the Acropolis Rally in Greece this June.