Monday 15th April 2013

Loeb's Peugeot 208 T16: first glimpse

Red Bull releases pictures of Loeb's Pikes Peak 208 T16

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The car Peugeot will use for its return to Pikes Peak has been revealed – and it’ll be driven by Sebastien Loeb.

Rear wing? Adequate, one would hope

The 208 T16, as it’ll be known, will be specially prepared by Peugeot Sport and sponsored by Red Bull. Few further details about the car have been revealed as yet, though the pictures suggest all-carbon bodywork with a lairy aero kit. Par for the course for Pikes Peak, then, although it’d be stretching the term to try and call it ‘the usual’. We’ve no idea what’s under the bonnet, though the side-exit exhaust and heavy-duty motorsport tech inside suggests it’ll be rather more exuberant than the standard 208 GTI. And will be running in the 'unlimited' class for cars with a minimum - minimum - of 1,000hp.

The campaign will hark back to Peugeot’s back-to-back successes in 1988 and 1989, when Ari Vatanen and Robby Unser respectively drove 405 T16s to victory in the event. Nine-time WRC champion Loeb will look to repeat that success as one of his alternative motorsport ventures during his semi-retirement year (unless Citroen recall him to help them out later in the year, of course).

Vid shows Loeb being fitted up for new T16

And while the loose surface might be familiar, he’ll have to have a head for heights; the Pikes Peak course features a staggering 1,500-metre change in elevation throughout the course of its 12.4-mile distance, finishing at an altitude of 4,301 metres, and with no less than 156 corners along the way. Blimey.

And if the pictures aren't enough for you, Red Bull's also released a rather snazzy video of the new T16, which you can see here.

[k-ink]

Why is such a dull company like Peugeot doing this? It is rather like a hearing aid company deciding to make a nuclear bomb.

Cool, but extremely odd.

[GroundEffect]

k-ink said:

Why is such a dull company like Peugeot doing this? It is rather like a hearing aid company deciding to make a nuclear bomb.

Cool, but extremely odd.

To make them un-dull? Peugeot Sport has a LONG history of motorsport.

[Lee540]

k-ink said:

Why is such a dull company like Peugeot doing this? It is rather like a hearing aid company deciding to make a nuclear bomb.

Cool, but extremely odd.

How old are you?

[k-ink]

Old enough that I can, at a push, just about remember when Peugeot made fun hot hatches. Something long lost in the dusts of time.

[r1ch]

Exciting stuff! 1000bhp!

[seefarr]

PH said:

And while the loose surface might be familiar

I'm pretty sure it's all paved now.

[Pumajay]

k-ink said:

Why is such a dull company like Peugeot doing this? It is rather like a hearing aid company deciding to make a nuclear bomb.

Cool, but extremely odd.

yeh i agree... its not like peugeot has a long history when it comes to rallying and pikes peak is it!

you douche!!

Where do i go to place my order, would look so much better in white with the retro peugeot sport colors on it, but being as its Loeb it'll no doubt be decked out in red bull and Total colours... BORING!!

[PascalBuyens]

seefarr said:

PH said:

And while the loose surface might be familiar

I'm pretty sure it's all paved now.

LOL... was going to make that exact same comment.

[marsattacks]

I don't know, I think it may need a larger rear wing...

[dukebox9reg]

Pumajay said:

k-ink said:

Why is such a dull company like Peugeot doing this? It is rather like a hearing aid company deciding to make a nuclear bomb.

Cool, but extremely odd.

yeh i agree... its not like peugeot has a long history when it comes to rallying and pikes peak is it!

you douche!!

Where do i go to place my order, would look so much better in white with the retro peugeot sport colors on it, but being as its Loeb it'll no doubt be decked out in red bull and Total colours... BORING!!

Pretty sure they used to hold the Pikes Peak record with a 405 for a while or at least won it once and boring?? the 205 T16?? Need to read a bit more history before commenting me thinks.

[tuffer]

They are pretty good at this and have history:
Pikes Peak cars
And of course the legendary video of the Vat Man doing his thing:
Vat Man can dance

[georgetuk]

k-ink said:

Old enough that I can, at a push, just about remember when Peugeot made fun hot hatches. Something long lost in the dusts of time.

I agree, and with your original statement. They haven't been cool for a long time but maybe...just maybe they are on the way back.

[Mark-C]

PascalBuyens said:

seefarr said:

PH said:

And while the loose surface might be familiar

I'm pretty sure it's all paved now.

LOL... was going to make that exact same comment.

And sadly not the better for it ...

[hiltoa]

Pumajay said:

...would look so much better in white with the retro peugeot sport colors on it...

Hmm, is it just me, but this...


...in white:

[MarJay]

I used to bulls-eye womp rats in my T16 back home...

[sjabrown]

Prefer the look of the 405 T16. PTS colours would be good, rather than red bull livery.

[k-ink]

Listen to yourselves Yes they once made a 205 GTI. How many decades ago did that come out? Then the 106 GTI - a minor blip in a lifetime of dull dross. They may dabble in the odd bit of motorsport but it never translates into anything for sale. It is pointless.

[EDLT]

If it is all paved now, and there is an 'unlimited' class, why don't they actually build that Red Bull X2011 thing?

[WCZ]

Lee540 said:

How old are you?

I think he has a valid point, their hot hatches have been very boring for a long time and the 208 is no different yet this Pikes Peak version is absolutely bananas.

[TankRS]

they are ruining the T16 name!

this thing is a marshamallowman looking abomination!

However with Loeb at the helm, and as long as enough planning and engineering has gone in to the car, he should have a good shot at the prize.
do they have shakedown/practice days for PP?