PEUGEOT DISPLAY AT THE LONDON CLASSIC CAR SHOW REFLECTS ON ITS MANY CONSIDERABLE SUCCESSES
Added: 04 February 2016
This year’s London Classic Car Show, held on Thursday 18th – Sunday 21st February at the ExCeL International Exhibition Centre, sees PEUGEOT celebrate its considerable history with key anniversaries, future and period classic cars, heroes of the moment and images of its considerable motor sport success.
Officially opening the London Classic Car Show is Ari Vatanen, who successfully took PEUGEOT to so many victories in the World Rally Championship, the Dakar and Pikes Peak.
Key PEUGEOT Motor Sport anniversaries in 2016 include:
- 100 year anniversary of its second victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the hands of Dario Resta – the first British driver to win there (1916 with wins in 1913 and 1919)
- 50 years since the 504 won the East African Safari rally for the 2nd time (wins; 1963/1966/1967)
- 35th anniversary of Peugeot Sport formation (1981)
- 30-years since it took its second World Rally Championships for the 205 T16 (1985 & 1986)
- 28-years since Ari Vatanen won the Pikes Peak hill climb in such convincing style
Displayed on the PEUGEOT stand alongside the Grand Avenue are two of the brands latest products developed by the company’s competitions department; the 208hp 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport in Ice Silver (production-durable textured paintwork) and the even more powerful 270 THP 308 GTi by Peugeot Sport with distinctive ‘Coupe Franche’ red/black paintwork. Alongside it is 1 of 200 models of the 205 T16 – the road-going version of the very-successful Group B winning rally car. The fourth classic car is a 405 T16 Grand Raid car which Ari Vatanen took to seven of its eight victories.
Being shown on screens on the PEUGEOT stand are images of the company’s considerable success covering the earliest and most historic races, during the operations of Peugeot Sport, now in its 35th year.
The organisers of the London Classic Car Show are celebrating the appeal of the Group B rally cars and are showing films of the cars of that era, especially including the all-conquering 205 T16. Also being screened is ‘Climbdance’ – the Cannes award-winning film of Ari Vatanen’s success driving the PEUGEOT 405 T16 Grand Raid car, both of which are in attendance at the LCCS. Ari Vatanen is formally opening the London Classic Car Show and the 405 T16 is being displayed in the dynamic 50-car cavalcade. Ari won the Pikes Peak hill climb in 1988 with a then record-winning time of 10:47:77. The 405 was unique at the time because of its four-wheel steering - a feature never before used on a rally or hillclimb car.
The London Classic Car Show takes place between the 18th – 21st February 2016 at the ExCeL arena;
http://www.thelondonclassiccarshow.co.uk/
PEUGEOT anniversaries in 2016
- 120 years since PEUGEOT Automobiles business was established and produced its own engines
- 115 years since the first PEUGEOT Bebé was launched – it became a ‘style leader’
- 100 years since PEUGEOT won the Indianapolis Grand Prix for the second time (wins 1913/1916/1919)
- 80 years since the launch of the 402 (produced as a Limousine, Coupé, Cabriolet and Coach)
- 75 years since the VLV - the first production electric car
- 60 years since the launch of the 403 Cabriolet – made famous as the car of ‘Columbo’ on TV
- 50 years since PEUGEOT won the East African Safari rally for the second time (wins 1963/1966/1967)
- 50 years since the launch of the 204 Coupé, Cabriolet and Fourgonnette (van)
- 40 years since the 504 won the Morocco Rally and the 504 V6 Coupé won the Bandama Rally
- 35 years since PEUGEOT Sport was formed, combining all the skills in one Competitions Department
- 30 years since the 205 T16 won the World Rally Championship for the second time (wins in 1985/1986)
- 25 years since the launch of the compact 106
- 20 years of the Partner (commercial and passenger vehicle) – one of the UK’s best-selling LCVs
PEUGEOT
Since 1810 PEUGEOT has been producing durable products of excellence, since 1858 all are branded with the Lion logo – chosen to demonstrate strength, suppleness and swiftness to personify the durability of its products. As one of the earliest automotive producers, the PEUGEOT brand can trace its roots back to 1889 when it began producing automobiles and since then over 65 million vehicles have been produced, advancing technology with style and efficiency to enhance the customer experience. Demonstrated through its Brand signature ‘Motion & Emotion’, PEUGEOT is present in 160 countries, has 10,000 franchised Dealerships and is recognised the world over for the quality and design excellence of its products.
MOTOR SPORT
IN COMPETITION, FINISHING FIRST HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
| 1894 - |
Albert Lemaître driving a Peugeot 3hp Type7 won the ‘first recorded motor sport competition’ - the Paris to Rouen race. Five Peugeot cars were entered with all five finishing, Albert in front. |
| 1895 - |
Édouard and André Michelin first used pneumatic tyres in competition (before solids were used on public vehicles) on a Peugeot car for the Paris-Bordeaux-Paris race |
| 1899 - |
Lemaître won the Nice-Castellane-Nice Rally in a Peugeot 20hp racer |
| 1912 - |
Georges Boillot driving a Peugeot with the first four-valve per cylinder engine (with Double OverHead Camshaft - DOHC 4-cylinder 7.6-litre) won the French Grand Prix and was the first to repeat success winning again in 1913 and 1915 |
| 1913 - |
Peugeot became the first non-American company to win the Indianapolis race (winning again in 1916 (Dario Resta) and in 1919 (Howdy Wilcox) at the Brickyard |
| 1922 - |
Peugeot won the Coppa Florios race and again in 1925 |
| 1923 - |
First in the Touring Car Grands Prix, repeated in 1925 and in 1926 won the Spa 24 hour race |
| 1963 - |
The Peugeot 404 Sedan won the East African Safari and again in 1966 and 1967 |
| 1965 - |
The 404 set 40 endurance class records for a Diesel powered car at the Monthléry race track |
| 1975 - |
The 504 Injection Sedan won the East African Safari and again in 1978 |
| 1981 - |
Peugeot Sport was formed by then director, Jean Todt |
| 1984 - |
The 205 Turbo 16 (T16) Group B was the first mid-engined four-wheel drive car and took its first victory with Ari Vatanen |
| 1985 - |
Peugeot won the Manufacturer’s and Driver’s title (with Timo Salonen) in the World Rally Championship and again in 1986. |
| 1987 - |
Peugeot then won the Dakar Rally with the 205 T16 (and again in 1988, followed twice more 1989-1990 with the 405 T16) |
| 1988 - |
At the Pikes Peak Hillclimb in Colorado Peugeot won twice (1988 & 1989) with the 405 T16 |
| 1992 - |
The 905 won the Le Mans 24-hour race and in 1993 followed it again with a perfect 1-2-3 finish |
| 1994 - |
Powered McLaren in Formula One, then Jordan GP in 1995-97 and Prost GP 1998-2000 |
| 2000 - |
206 WRC won the Manufacturer’s (2000-2002) & Drivers title with Marcus Grönholm |
| 2007 - |
Peugeot won the Intercontinental Rally Challenge (IRC) three times (2007-2009) with the 207 S2000 - for Peugeot UK in 2009 with Kris Meeke |
| 2009 - |
908 won the Le Mans 24-hour race, winning many other LMS races around the world |
| 2013 - |
Peugeot returned to Pikes Peak with Sébastien Loeb who conquered the hillclimb in a time of just 8:13.878, beating the previous record by an astonishing 90 seconds |
| 2015 - |
2008 DKR wins China Rally Raid and in World RallyX 208 WRX wins the manufacturers championship |
| 2016 - |
Peugeot won the world’s most torturous event – the Dakar with the 2008 DKR driven by Stéphane Peterhansel on the occasion of his 12th Dakar win |
