Now that Citroen is firmly established in the World Rally Championship, it's promoting the hotter of the Xsara Coupés as the nearest thing to a road-going version of its WRC team cars.Well, OK - retrospectively. The VTS and the less powerful VTR Coupé were in the catalogue a long time before the WRC programme got under way, although it's worth remembering that Citroen had been doing plenty of national rallying in the run-up to re-launching itself whole-heartedly onto the international competition scene.Of course, the showroom VTS is a much more civilised machine than the car which won the Rally of Corsica. But it's a strong performer in its class, all the same, and the amazing thing about it, financially, is one of those remarkable Citroen cashbacks. Buy a VTS new, through the official dealer network, and, until the end of March, if not longer, Citroen will give you back no less than £3600.It's has been doing very strong business this year, thanks partly to the cashback arrangements, which often provide a buyer with the down-payment for a finance deal.Setting aside the financial considerations, and the link with the World Rally Championship, how does the VTS cut the mustard? Well, in the CARkeys neck of the woods there happens to be an enthusiastic driver whose first race - no kidding - was the 1933 Tourist Trophy on the Ards circuit in Northern Ireland, where he has crystal-clear memories of Nuvolari and Bira among his fellow competitors. Right now, 68 years later, his choice of car is a Xsara VTS Coupé.It can be a car for a flamboyant driver. The power output is enough, when you try a foot-to-the-floor standing start on a dry road, and rev to the red line at 7500rpm, to provide yards of wheelspin, with a sizzling-rubber smell following you all the way. Of course, that's evidence of there being no sophisticated traction control. Treated less roughly, the car gets off its mark quickly enough, without the drama.It's not all just junior dragster stuff, though, because the wide-tyred VTS sits four-square on the road, it holds on well on corners, it will really get to grips with undulating moorland roads, and it's a vigorous hillclimber.But it's the kind of car you don't want to keep on too loose a rein while it's motoring hard. It has a quite heavy, if short-throw, gearchange action, and when going quickly it needs a firm grip on the steering wheel, with no attention-wandering.The VTS doesn't score all that well on power to weight ratio, but there's a good enough reason for that. This isn't one of the comic two-plus-two coupés in which the "plus-two" element is a couple of occasional seats for five-year olds. It's a full four-seater, with good luggage space as well.With the latest front-end styling the VTS looks pretty good, and it comes in some attractive exterior colours. Topaz Metallic is one of my favourites, although I tend to think of it as Old Gold. Some buyers might quite fancy one of the alternative paint finishes, officially called Wicked Red Metallic. Whichever one you fancy, front and rear bumpers both match the body colour.Inside, the VTS has velour/alcantara upholstery, with firm side support from the front seats, just what you need on a sporting machine like this. Citroen fits fashionable white dials, but I think they're pretty feeble, and I'd like something rather more dramatic.The standard VTS specification includes 15" Everest alloy wheels, electronic brakeforce distribution, foglamps, a multi-function trip computer, automatic air-conditioning, a heat-reflective windscreen, a leather-rimmed steering wheel and so on. Altogether, the car is very well equipped when you consider the catalogue-minus-cashback price.Of course, if you go for a VTR, you can have a Xsara Coupé which looks just as smart, while being a lot cheaper and 50-odd bhp down. But, with that cashback, why not go for broke? Engine 1998cc, 4cylinders Power 167bhp @6500rpm Torque 144ib/ft @5500rpm Transmission 5 speed manual Fuel/CO2 30.4mpg / 215g/km Acceleration 0-62mph: 8sec Top speed 137mph Price From £16973.00 approx Release date 09/10/2000