2017 Citroen C3 WRC breaks cover

Citroen has completed the first test of its next World Rally Car and it gives us the first real glimpse of rallying's wild new generation of cars.

Next year's WRC regulations are undergoing a significant overhaul in an attempt to make the cars louder, faster and more spectacular and attract more fans to the sport.

While heavily camouflaged, Citroen's C3 WRC shows what to expect on the stages in 2017 and the result is undoubtedly dramatic.

Most obvious is the heavily flared bodywork, as under the new rules cars can be 55mm wider than previous as well as running much more substantial aerodynamic addenda, as you can see by the C3's enormous rear wing.

In addition, an increase in restrictor size is expected to lift power from the current 230kW to around 280kW and active centre differentials are once again legal, while minimum weight drops 25kg to 1175kg.

Whether the changes will have the required effect is currently subject of some speculation, as some drivers and rally organisers have expressed concerns about the potential speed of the cars and the increased downforce possibly making the cars less spectacular.

However, if Citroen's new challenger is anything to go by, the new field will certainly look a lot more extreme.

The French marque is taking a sabbatical in 2016 to concentrate on development of the new car, with Irishman Kris Meeke handling the bulk of the testing duties, before returning to battle VW, Hyundai, Toyota and M-Sport next year.