Peugeot announces R2 and R4T versions of 208

Peugeot’s abrupt exit from Le Mans Series programme was quite a shock and raised many questions within the motorsport community. French company was quick to explain that the reasons for this exit were quite simple – Peugeot wants to focus on upcoming debuts of several new road models. In short, whether it was the money that drove Peugeot away or the coming of strong new competitors, French brand exited Le Mans. However, they are not severing their motorsport related activities – in fact, Peugeot is very strong player customer competition market with 207 S2000 being one of the best selling rally cars in recent history.

Upcoming new racing product from Peugeot will be based on recently debuted 208 and will feature two guises – R2 and R4T. Click on MORE for full Peugeot’s release.

Following in the footsteps of the celebrated 205, 206 and 207, two competition versions of the Peugeot 208 stand out currently as the development priorities for the technical team of Peugeot Sport’s Customer Competition Department. The ‘diminutive’, feisty R2 is an indispensable part of the line-up will spearhead this drive. The 208 R2 – which turned a wheel for the first time at the end of 2011 – is an ideally affordable yet competitive solution for novices and for anyone who goes rallying for fun. From 2013, it will replace the 207 R3 as the star of France’s ‘Volant’ series. Although currently only at the beginning of its development phase, it should deliver a power output of some 185 horsepower once all the evolutions have been made to its 1.6-litre, normally-aspirated engine.

This powerplant will drive through a sequential gearbox with a steering wheel-mounted gear shift lever, and the newcomer will also be lighter than its predecessor. A test programme of 8,000km on gravel and tarmac is planned before the car goes on sale in the course of 2012. Another eagerly awaited version of the 208 is the R4T which is currently at the design stage at Peugeot Sport’s Customer Competition Department. It will comply with the latest FIA regulations and will be ready to take over from Peugeot Sport’s best-selling rally car ever – the 207 S2000 – from the first quarter of 2013.