The Greatest Strip of Tarmac in the World: A Drive Along the Atlantic Road

We have found it, the greatest strip of tarmac in the entire world, lying along the northern coast of Norway. The Atlantic Road is a five-mile stretch of spectacular curves that sweep between eight different bridges. Despite the fact that the building crew had to endure 12 hurricanes whilst making it, there's not one pothole in sight. Over there lies the snowy peak of the Norwegian mainland, and beyond that, the Norwegian Sea and the Arctic Circle. But in the middle, this tiny, meandering ribbon of tarmac links several tiny islands, just happens to be one of the most surreal, beautiful stretches of road in the world. It's been voted Norway's construction of the century, and with its roller coaster swoops, it's the perfect place to test a car that should attack corners like a dog at a postman's ankle.

Meet the Citroen DS3 Racing: A Harder, Sharper, Faster Version

This car has got serious pedigree. Firstly, the normal DS3 was awarded Car of the Year in 2010, and this version has been tuned by Citroen Racing, the people who won every World Rally Championship since 2004. Their 2011 car is based on this actual machine, so if this car on this road doesn't make me feel like a hero then something has gone very wrong. Double Wow! Look at this – there's this huge bridge with a completely blind trust it looks like it just ends.

Driving Across the Atlantic Road: A Surreal Experience

It's mind-blowing wow that bridge is so gorgeous, portal on a road noise coming off the DS3 bags losses a tuned exhaust system he could really hear it rasping out through the tailgate. So there's not the quietest experience but then that fits the bill for it being a hot hatch cornering is nice and flat doesn't feel twitchy actually very very mature and sticky the engine is similar to the 1.6 you get in lesser DS3 but a tweak to the engine's brain and a tuned exhaust have increased the power from 150 to 200 and for brake balls nought to 60 2 takes just six and a half seconds making it quicker than both the mini John Cooper Works and the Renault Sport Clio Cup.

The Price of Performance: £23,000

The price for all that extra zip is £23,000, which is five grand more than a normal DS3. Beneath those tatty stickers and carbon-fiber trinkets, you can see some serious work has been done to adjust the start because not only is the suspension stiffer and lower than standard it's wider too giving extra stability and grip and that sort of stuff doesn't come cheap.

Traction Control and Handling

You're going to see this quality to avoid upsetting any locals with this traction control button that you can deactivate as soon as you do, that with all front-wheel drives suddenly get much more of a feeling of what's going on through the steering wheel. It's quite light but it's not numb.

The DS3 Racing: A Car That Just Feels Special

Perhaps this car's biggest achievement is its balance between sporty handling and a bearable ride, it's not a real jawbreaker like the Clio and like the mini John Cooper Works. It's kind of the gentleman's hot hatch which you get a level of comfort I'm driving on all the most special roads in existence one of the most special production cars upon the sale today have been a very good thing they've built a car that's quirky and exclusive but it's also full of excitement like the road. It's a car that just feels special, only 500 of these brilliant all-round hot hatches are being made and costing five grand more than its main rivals. You certainly do pay for this car's exclusivity but there is no denying how much fun the DS3 Racing is particularly in such an awe-inspiring place as the Atlantic Road.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwe have found it the greatest strip of tarmac in the entire world lying along the northern coast of Norway the Atlantic Road comprises five miles of spectacular curves sweeping between eight different bridges and despite the fact that the building crew had to endure 12 hurricanes whilst making it there's not one pothole in sight over there and the snowy peaks of the Norwegian mainland over there is the Norwegian Sea and the Arctic Circle but in the middle is this tiny tiny meandering ribbon of tarmac that links several tiny islands just happens to be one of the most surreal beautiful stretches of Road in the world it's been voted Norway's construction of the century and with its roller coaster swoops is the perfect place to test a car that should attack corners like a dog at a postman's ankle meet the Citroen ds3 racing a harder sharper faster version of the brilliant ds3 this car has got serious pedigree firstly the normal ds3 one-armed smoker of the Year award 2010 this version has been tuned by Citroen racing the people who won in every World Rally Championship since 2004 oh and their 2011 car is based on this actual machine so if this car on this road doesn't make me feel like a hero then something has gone very wrong Wow double Wow look at this there's this huge bridge with a completely blind trust it looks like it just ends our cameras just don't do justice to how surreal driving across this blind crested bridge really is a little bit it's mind blowing wow that bridge is so gorgeous portal on a road noise coming off the ds3 bags losses a tuned exhaust system he could really hear it rasping out through the tailgate so there's not the quietest experience but then that fits the bill for it being a hot hatch cornering is nice and flat doesn't feel twitchy actually very very mature and sticky the engine is similar to the 1.6 you get in lesser ds3 but a tweak to the engine's brain and a tuned exhaust have increased the power from 150 to 200 and for brake balls nought to 60 2 takes just six and a half seconds making it quicker than both the mini John Cooper Works and the Renault Sport Clio Cup and the price for all that extra zip 23,000 pounds that's five grand more than a normal ds3 but beneath those tatty stickers and the carbon-fiber trinkets oh yeah that's real carbon fiber look some serious work bigger wheels and bigger brakes adjust the start because not only is the suspension stiffer and lower than standard it's wider too giving extra stability and grip and that sort of stuff doesn't come cheap you're gonna see this quality to avoid upsetting any locals this is a traction control button that you can deactivate as soon as you do that with all front wheel drives suddenly get much more of a feeling of what's going on through the steering wheel it's quite light but it's not numb the scenery is unbelievable Baron Beauty at its best with the smoothest tarmac that you could wish for apart from that bit which was and that bit which is the only undulation at all perhaps this cars biggest achievement is its balance between sporty handling and a bearable ride it's not a real jawbreaker like the Clio and like the mini John Cooper Works it's kind of the gentleman's hot hatch which you get a level of comfort I'm driving on all the most special roads in existence one of the most special production cars upon the sale today have been a very good thing they've built a car that's quirky and exclusive but it's also full of excitement like the road it's a car that just feels special only 500 of these brilliant all-round hot hatches are being made and costing five grand more than its main rivals you certainly do pay for this cars exclusivity but there is no denying how much fun the ds3 racing is particularly in such an awe-inspiring place as the Atlantic Road youwe have found it the greatest strip of tarmac in the entire world lying along the northern coast of Norway the Atlantic Road comprises five miles of spectacular curves sweeping between eight different bridges and despite the fact that the building crew had to endure 12 hurricanes whilst making it there's not one pothole in sight over there and the snowy peaks of the Norwegian mainland over there is the Norwegian Sea and the Arctic Circle but in the middle is this tiny tiny meandering ribbon of tarmac that links several tiny islands just happens to be one of the most surreal beautiful stretches of Road in the world it's been voted Norway's construction of the century and with its roller coaster swoops is the perfect place to test a car that should attack corners like a dog at a postman's ankle meet the Citroen ds3 racing a harder sharper faster version of the brilliant ds3 this car has got serious pedigree firstly the normal ds3 one-armed smoker of the Year award 2010 this version has been tuned by Citroen racing the people who won in every World Rally Championship since 2004 oh and their 2011 car is based on this actual machine so if this car on this road doesn't make me feel like a hero then something has gone very wrong Wow double Wow look at this there's this huge bridge with a completely blind trust it looks like it just ends our cameras just don't do justice to how surreal driving across this blind crested bridge really is a little bit it's mind blowing wow that bridge is so gorgeous portal on a road noise coming off the ds3 bags losses a tuned exhaust system he could really hear it rasping out through the tailgate so there's not the quietest experience but then that fits the bill for it being a hot hatch cornering is nice and flat doesn't feel twitchy actually very very mature and sticky the engine is similar to the 1.6 you get in lesser ds3 but a tweak to the engine's brain and a tuned exhaust have increased the power from 150 to 200 and for brake balls nought to 60 2 takes just six and a half seconds making it quicker than both the mini John Cooper Works and the Renault Sport Clio Cup and the price for all that extra zip 23,000 pounds that's five grand more than a normal ds3 but beneath those tatty stickers and the carbon-fiber trinkets oh yeah that's real carbon fiber look some serious work bigger wheels and bigger brakes adjust the start because not only is the suspension stiffer and lower than standard it's wider too giving extra stability and grip and that sort of stuff doesn't come cheap you're gonna see this quality to avoid upsetting any locals this is a traction control button that you can deactivate as soon as you do that with all front wheel drives suddenly get much more of a feeling of what's going on through the steering wheel it's quite light but it's not numb the scenery is unbelievable Baron Beauty at its best with the smoothest tarmac that you could wish for apart from that bit which was and that bit which is the only undulation at all perhaps this cars biggest achievement is its balance between sporty handling and a bearable ride it's not a real jawbreaker like the Clio and like the mini John Cooper Works it's kind of the gentleman's hot hatch which you get a level of comfort I'm driving on all the most special roads in existence one of the most special production cars upon the sale today have been a very good thing they've built a car that's quirky and exclusive but it's also full of excitement like the road it's a car that just feels special only 500 of these brilliant all-round hot hatches are being made and costing five grand more than its main rivals you certainly do pay for this cars exclusivity but there is no denying how much fun the ds3 racing is particularly in such an awe-inspiring place as the Atlantic Road you\n"