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The Saxo is the only Citro‘n worth Maxing, right? Only the truly insane would bother with a Xsara. And if someone did, who'd give a toss?

It's a train of thought that's perfectly on track, but one that Spaniard Xavi Gil has clearly missed. Xavi has already done the Saxo thing, putting a wide-arch wonder on our October '99 cover. So his best mate Marcello agreed to let him Max his Xsara.

We've tracked this car since Super GTi at Magny Cours last year, getting updates by e-mail and even in person when we met at the Las Vegas SEMA show.

Now, almost a year later, we can reveal Xavi's latest creation in all its glory.

The Xsara's VTS lump is no pussy in standard 167bhp tune. Pop this greeny gold bonnet, though, and poking through the vented engine surround there's a real kick
up the arse. Four 42mm throttle bodies with blue anodised trumpets battle to get the freshest, coolest air they can. With a two-stage chip, the Xsara's good for 215bhp at Stage 1 and 230bhp at Stage 2.

'It's best at 215bhp,' reports Xavi. 'At 230bhp it doesn't idle well and there's black smoke from the exhaust'. Judging by our drive through Barcelona, any more than 215bhp would be dangerous too...

As for the bodywork, lush green/gold Dupont motorbike paint drips off fantastically wide arches. Meanwhile a Honda S2000's been relieved of its rear lights and the headlights are complete one-offs. Wider than standard by some 6cms, the arches are a Xsara/ Altezza mix.

'Look here,' commands Xavi, bending down to one. 'It's all carbon fibre - just like
the bumpers and the sideskirts.'

It looked like the carbon fibre section in the sideskirts was just an insert, now it's clear the paint's been left off to prove a point. This car's throwing up so many fresh touches that finding the fuel filler pipe inside the doorframe and discovering an inverted rear spoiler is barely surprising.

And talking of cheeky, those seats are a bit special. Cobra Opus buckets trimmed in a mix of leather and a towel-like material called chenille.

Now, I looked chenille up in the dictionary and it said something about 'worsted yarn' or 'twisted tufts of silk'. In fact, it's a bit like a beach towel, but it looks trick and could be useful for soaking up sweat in this blistering heat.

Impressed? You will be when you check out the wheels 'cos it doesn't get any more exclusive than this. The only set in existence, these 19s were designed by Xavi and crafted from billet aluminium by famous metal mentallists Braid.

Classy wheels deserve classy stoppers, so naturally Marcello chose Ferrari items.
'They're 355mm,' says Marcello proudly, stretching his arms like a fisherman exaggerating his biggest ever catch.

And they're not from any old piece-of-shit Ferrari either. They're actually off a Ferrari Modena Challenge race car. So if Brembo four-pots and 14in discs can stop a track-tuned Ferrari, this Xsara shouldn't be a major problem.

With its belly on the floor thanks to some serious air suspension, the Xsara usually cleans up at shows. Most impressively, it's Xavi's own system and he's putting it into production through his company,

To say it's utterly fantastic is an understatement. Electronic valves control the side-to-side motion, with cut-offs in the cockpit so you can be confident the car won't tilt over when you're tanking down the motorway. Pneumatic valves control the front-to-rear movement, again with cut-off valves in the cockpit. The ride is firm, but not uncomfortable, and the car handles about ten times better than you'd expect. Xavi even has a radio-control unit to operate the suspension's many movements and take off the fingers of passers-by as they stop to fondle the wheels.

As you would expect with this immaculate Xsara, the ICE hasn't been left out in the cold. The centrepiece of the boot build may well be the air suspension's compression tank, but the two 12in Oxygin Audio subs and Excursion amps trapped underneath strange Perspex bubbles, aren't just support actors.

Helped by two pairs of Oxygin tweeters and a pair of 5.5in speakers, the Pioneer CD head unit can summon the sort of a dBs a fully Max'd motor like this deserves.

It's not record-breaking, but it is enough to blow some white chino-wearing Diegos right off their mopeds as we cruise the streets.

So, all you Citro‘n lovers out there. Do you still believe the Saxo is king or has its crown slipped a little in the presence of this nobly-named Xsara?
You decide, but in Barcelona anyway, Xavi Gil rules.

ENGINE
1998cc, 4-cylinder, 16-valve * 42mm throttle bodies * ally trumpets anodised blue * AEM fuel rail * JE pistons * polished, ported and skimmed head * Walbro 2-stage ECU * Thunder custom exhaust system from manifold to twin carbon pipes

TRANSMISSION
Standard 5-speed manual gearbox

SUSPENSION
Hydraulics with max drop of 18cm and radio-control by Lowered * 2x compressors * 1x 15-litre tank * struts moved out 4cm on each side * electronic valves for side-to-side movement * 2x pneumatic valves for front and rear * line locks on both electronic and pneumatic valves

BRAKES
Front - Brembo 355mm discs from Ferrari Modena Challenge race car * rear - Brembo drilled discs * Brembo 4-pot calipers

BODYWORK
APC wing mirrors * Honda S2000 rear lights * custom Xsara headlights based on Altezza-style and extended 6cm to suit wide arches * extended carbon fibre front and rear arches * carbon fibre sideskirts and bumpers * modified grille * de-locked * inverted rear spoiler * carbon fibre strip on B-pillar * Dupont green/gold Suzuki motorbike paint * fuel filler pipe relocated to doorframe

WHEELS & TYRES
7x19in (front) and 8x19in (rear) Braid one-off billet aluminium wheels * 215/35 ZR19 (front) and 235/35 ZR19 (rear) Pirelli P7000 tyres

INTERIOR
Cobra Opus bucket seats retrimmed in black and grey leather and green chenille (rears retrimmed to match) * Braid steering wheel * Razo gearknob and pedals * Simoni Racing handbrake cover * Pro Gauges oil, water and volts gauges * Pro Gauge tacho with shift light removed and placed in custom pod above dials * custom dash section containing five pressure gauges for suspension * carbon fibre flooring, trimmed doorcards and dashboard * pneumatic controls on central armrest * stainless steel kickplate

ICE
Pioneer KEH-P8806R CD head unit * 2x 12in Oxygin subs, 2x 6in speakers in custom door pods, 2x 5.5in speakers in custom rear builds, 2x tweeters in dash, 2x tweeters in rear builds * 2x 600W Excursion amps

PERFORMANCE
Max power - 215bhp (230bhp available at Stage 2 of chip) * max speed - 145mph * 0-60mph - 7secs