Loeb has now won in Argentina for three consecutive years

Frenchman Loeb finished the final super-special stage in Cordoba 36.7 seconds ahead of Finland's Gronholm.

Loeb now leads Gronholm by three points in the championship after securing his fourth win of the season.

Finn Mikko Hirvonen consolidated third place in the championship by securing the final podium place.

Sunday's final leg was extended by one stage to ensure drivers completed the mandatory two-thirds distance for scoring championship points.

Seven stages were cancelled on Friday because bad weather left some drivers stranded in Buenos Aires, 700km from Cordoba, after an opening super-special stage in the capital on Thursday.

I went out to push hard this morning but the feeling wasn't so good Runner-up Marcus Gronholm

Loeb, who also won the Rally of Argentina in 2005 and 2006, won 10 stages in total, including the last super-special.

Finland's Jari-Matti Latvala, in a Stobart Ford, was fourth ahead of Norwegian Henning Solberg in another Ford.

Heavy overnight storms made Sunday's stages through the Traslasierra mountains muddy and treacherous and Gronholm, who hit some rocks early on the final morning, said he had decided to play safe for second place.

"I went out to push hard this morning but the feeling wasn't so good," he said in a team statement.

"I ran wide and hit a stone with the rear of the car. I was worried it didn't feel right and it was hard to stay on the road. I dropped eight seconds to Loeb so I knew the fight was over."

Rally of Argentina result:
1. Sebastien Loeb (France) Citroen 2:52:03.800
2. Marcus Groenholm (Finland) Ford at 36.700 secs
3. Mikko Hirvonen (Finland) Ford 2 mins 15.2 secs
4. Jari-Matti Latvala (Finland) Ford 03:43.000
5. Henning Solberg (Norway) Ford 04:10.100
6. Daniel Sordo (Spain) Citroen 04:23.600
7. Chris Atkinson (Australia) Subaru 04:43.400
8. Manfred Stohl (Austria) Citroen 05:20.200
9. Federico Villagra (Argentina) Mitsubishi 16:49.900
10. Toshihiro Arai (Japan) Subaru 16:59.200