Chassis No. VF7RT1GR094GR0015
Citroën Sport No. C05

After winning two World Rally Championships and achieving victory at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the legendary Citroën ZX Rally Raid cars built upon the success of the iconic Peugeot 205 and 405 Turbo 16 rally cars. The ZX secured four astonishing Paris Dakar Rally titles and the FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallying.

This incredible Citroën ZX Rally Raid, number C05, debuted as car number 201 at the 1990 Pharaohs Rally, piloted by none other than 1981 World Rally Champion and four-time Paris-Dakar Rally winner Ari Vatanen to an overall finish of fourth. The following year, C05 competed in the 1991 Paris-Tripoli-Dakar Rally as car number 204, driven by Alain Ambrosino to sixth place out of 184 entrants. Once again, back at the Pharaoh's Rally in October as car number 203, Citroën swept the podium, with Alain Ambrosino and Alain Guéhennec piloting C05 to third place.

In 1992, C05 raced in the Paris-Dakar Rally's new Cape Town route as car number 206. After covering 12,427 kilometers, the Citroën finished seventh out of 133 starters, with Pierre Lartigues setting the fastest time in the 14th stage in Gabon from Oyem to Franceville. The car's final race was the 1993 Paris-Tangier-Dakar Rally as car number 214, where it placed seventh again with an updated red livery. Completing a fruitful year, Citroën Sport emerged victorious with its ZX Rally Raid winning the coveted team slot in the inaugural FIA World Cup for Cross-Country Rallying. Afterward, C05 was used for engine testing before it was retired and preserved with Citroën Heritage from 1994 until 2011.

In 2011 the car was acquired by its first private owner after 21 years of factory care and taken to Team SMG Challenge, where the acclaimed specialist Philippe Gache and his team set about restoring the car over the course of two years. The car was taken down to a bare chassis. The potent turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine, seven-speed transmission, and front axle were disassembled for inspection before being completely overhauled. Additional work was rendered to overhaul the suspension, shock absorbers, fuel system, and brakes to make it suitable for use again after 18 years in storage with Citroën.

The car was then acquired by its next owner in 2021, and SMG was once again commissioned to service the car with fresh fluids, overhauling the brake calipers, and replacing the fuel tanks among other punch list items. That year, the car was invited to attend the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed, and social media was abuzz at the rally car's run-up Lord March's drive. While in England the car was shown twice more that year at the Rally Day at Castle Combe and the Salon Privé Concours d'Elegance at Blenheim Palace. After these events, the car was taken to BGMsport, where a new fuel cell was installed, and a set of six new wheels was created to replicate the originals for their preservation.

The car is presented with its original 1990 livery when it made its rally debut as piloted by Ari Vatanen in the Pharaoh's Rally. Refinished under current ownership, the car was transformed from its red Total livery to its original Camel livery during its rally debut.

Today, the car remains in excellent condition as a showpiece of French rally acumen. It is supported by a trove of information in its history file from period racing photos, pace notes, spectator guides, timesheets, and maps. Furthermore, the sale includes two Citroën Sport racing suits that remain with the car from its 1991 racing season.