The much-vaunted Pikes Peak Hill Climb course is to rallying, much like the Isle of Man TT course is to bike riding. It takes a special mentality from both the manufacturers and the drivers that compete in it because it is a specialised event that has virtually no restrictions. It is a fantastic show piece if you have the right car and a driver with the bravado to tame the treacherous course.
That’s why Peugeot have enlisted nine-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb to contest the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 30. The Frenchman will tackle the world’s highest hill climb, which culminates at an altitude of 4 301 m; and he will be at the wheel of the 208 T16 Pikes Peak Special, which was specially engineered and built by Peugeot Sport.
The event marks the French team’s return to the classic event after its memorable victories in 1988 and 1989. The machine with which Sébastien Loeb will target victory in Colorado may share some exterior styling with the 208 production model, but the Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak is a bespoke machine and was tailor-made to compete in the event’s premier ‘Unlimited’ class.
The car’s aerodynamics has been heavily manipulated to give it as much down force as possible. The rear wing, which is that of the Le Mans 24 Hours-winning 908, and the splitter are two features of the car which give it a purposeful, beast-like attitude and the rest is simple, exposed carbon fibre bodywork.
‘Unlimited’ is a category that allows total freedom on the technical front. Peugeot is counting on the considerable experience it gained with the 405 T16 which claimed back-to-back victories in 1988 and 1989, in the hands of Ari Vatanen and Robby Unser respectively.
Sébastien Loeb is keen to turn his attention to new challenges. In addition to his involvement in this year’s GT World Series, he snapped up the opportunity to contest the celebrated Pikes Peak Hill Climb and discover its 156 corners which he will tackle without the help of a co-driver.
