Peugeot and racing

Peugeot Adventure Museum, Sochaux, France

Until September 30, 2025

“Peugeot and racing: 130 years of records and victories” is the new exhibition at the Peugeot Adventure Museum in Sochaux! Having started producing 4-wheeled cars as early as 1891, Peugeot is one of the world’s oldest automobile brands, still in business today. The Paris-Bordeaux-Paris race in 1895 is considered the world’s very first timed race, and Peugeot took part, winning first prize with a four-seater model. So, in 2025, Peugeot celebrates 130 years of motor racing.

For this retrospective, the Peugeot Adventure Museum is presenting 41 cars representative of its involvement in competition, in a variety of disciplines. The cars on display are presented throughout the museum. Right at the entrance, 2 special prototypes are on display, since they have never raced. An endurance 905, whose looks earned it the nickname “Supercopter”. Although it never raced, it served as a development laboratory for the 905 Evo 2 (winner at the 1993 Le Mans 24 Hours even achieving a brilliant hat-trick) and for the Formula 1 V10 engine. The second is the 908 Hybrid V4, developed for the 2012 World Endurance Championship, but never raced as Peugeot withdrew from the category in early 2012.

Moving further into the museum, we find the Peugeot Type 3, the 1st appearance of a Peugeot automobile in a competition, but in this case a cycle race… Indeed, this car followed the riders of the Paris-Brest-Paris 1891, a race without stages despite the distance. Although the cyclists sometimes went faster than the car, Peugeot, which had just started “producing” automobiles, saw it as a way of publicizing this new means of travel. Next to it is the Peugeot that won the Paris-Bordeaux-Paris race in 1895, considered the world’s first timed automobile race.

Equipped with this engine and its derivatives, Peugeots dominated European Grand Prix races such as the ACF GP in 1912 and 1913, as well as American races, with 3 victories at the Indianapolis 500 (1913, 1916 and 1919). Introduced in 1912, the harvest of victories was unfortunately interrupted in Europe by World War 1. Of course, few cars remain from this period, and most of them are in the USA. If none of them figure in Peugeot’s heritage, it nevertheless seemed important to mention this glorious period for the brand.

Next, we come to the 1930s. Peugeot introduced the 301 and developed the 301 “Miramas”, named after the track where the car broke the 24-hour speed record at an average speed of over 110 km/h. The car was lightened, with a body made largely of imitation leather on a wooden frame. In 1937, the 302 DS was entered in the 24 Hours of Le Mans by dealer Darl’Mat, with Peugeot support. Although not in a position to aim for overall victory, all three 302 DS finished in the top 10. The 302 DS even finished 5th in 1938, winning the 2-liter class.

Continuing the tour, we get to the “Lioness Den”, where we find several models that raced in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, such as the lightweight 1966 CD Peugeot, with an aerodynamic body recognizable by its large daggerboards at the rear. Its light weight ensured good performance despite its small 1100 cm3 engine. More ambitious, the WM P80 is powered by a Peugeot V6, turbocharged to 500 hp. It raced in the GTP category, finishing 2nd in its class in 1980, and 4th in 1981.

Peugeot took up the challenge of overall victory in the early 1990s with the 905. The adventure was crowned with success, with 2 victories in the 24 Hours in 1992 and 1993, including a hat-trick in 1993, and a World Championship title in 1992. A new challenge in 2007 with the 908 HDi FAP, equipped with a Turbo Diesel engine. The battle with Audi was fierce, but Peugeot won the 24 Hours in 2009, as well as several other endurance races and international titles (there was no Endurance World Championship between 1993 and 2012). The 2 victorious cars have their place in this exhibition.

Still on the racetrack, a number of Peugeots raced in touring championships, such as the 505 driven by Jean-Pierre Beltoise in the 1980s, whose turbo-injected 4-cylinder boasted over 400 hp. horsepower. Touring car racing is very popular in Germany, and Peugeot participated in the “Supertourism” championship with a 406, which helped Laurent Aïello title in 1997. In 2010, Peugeot returns to European circuits with an RCZ Hdi (Diesel) at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, one of the most selective touring car races in Europe.

As you’d expect, the Lioness Den is also home to rally stars, one of the areas of motor racing in which Peugeot has shone brightest over the years and established a solid reputation. Although private crews entered Peugeots in European rallies as early as the 1930s, it wasn’t until the 1950s that Peugeot made its official entry with the 203 and then 403. But it was above all with the 404 that Peugeot became a benchmark in demanding African rallies such as the East African Safari (later Kenya Rally), the Morocco Rally or the Bandama (later Ivory Coast Rally). Less known, the smaller 204 also had its “African rally” version.

After the 404, the 504 sedan and 504 V6 coupe continue to shine. In the 1960s and 1970s, Peugeot took 10 victories in these events, including 6 in the East African Safari.

In the 1980s, Peugeot returned to rallying with the legendary 205 Turbo 16 Group B, which won the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ World Championship in 1985 and 1986, with no fewer than 16 victories. Compact with its mid-engine architecture and 4-wheel drive, it dominated the competition. 3 models are presented, two 1985 Evo 1s with the “Safari” version reinforced for African rallies, and a 1986 Evo 2.

Before focusing on the 205 T16, Peugeot had considered a rear-wheel drive 305 V6, which is presented alongside the 205. Eventually abandoned as a development prototype, this model very rarely leaves the Peugeot Adventure heritage reserves.

After the L76 era, it would be another 80 years before Peugeot would appear in Grand Prix racing again, at least as an engine manufacturer in Formula 1 for the McLaren, Jordan and Prost GP teams from 1994 to 2000. Although it didn’t win any races, the McLaren-Peugeot MP4/9 did take a few podiums in 1994. Peugeot continued in Formula 1 in 1995 and 1996 with the Jordan team, whose car sported an original livery with a snake’s head on the front of the snout.

Peugeot was back into rallying in the 1990s, and while the 306 Maxi couldn’t compete with its 4-wheel-drive rivals on snow or gravel, it shone on asphalt rallies. Meanwhile, the 106 Maxi allows young drivers to get their hands on a rally car et on a reasonable budget. The 206 WRC takes up the baton, this time well-armed for all rallying terrains. With the 206 WRC, Peugeot wins 3 new World Championships in 2000, 2001 and 2002. It was followed by the 307 WRC, which won a few races but failed to win the world title.

Peugeot offers the 207 S2000 for IRC rally racing, the 2nd division of rallying, giving young drivers a chance to prove themselves. An intermediary between rally and circuit, rallycross is a spectacular discipline, and Peugeot enters its 208 WRX in the world championship, with Sébastien Loeb as driver.

Back in the permanent exhibition area, you’ll find a number of trophies, including those from the 1907 Targa Florio and the 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans.

In the 1960s, Peugeot was keen to promote the diesel engines it fitted to its 403s and later 404s. A 404 convertible is transformed into a record-breaking car, and goes on to break 40 speed and endurance records at Montlhery.

Exploring new terrain, Peugeot takes on the Pikes Peak hill climb. Located in Colorado, this long hill climb (almost 20 km) is the highest in the world, starting at an altitude of 2865 meters and finishing at 4300 meters. If altitude is a challenge for the mechanics, so are the 156 bends and dizzying ravines for the drivers. The 405 Turbo 16 “Pikes Peak”, a special version of the 405 T16 with an engine developing 660 hp, was designed to go for victory, which it did in 1988 (Ari Vatanen) and 1989 (Robby Unser). The film of Ari Vatanen’s ascent in 1988 has become a racing classic.

Peugeot came back to Pikes Peak in 2013 with the spectacular 208 T16 “Pikes Peak”. With a power-to-weight ratio of 1 hp/kg (875 hp/875 kg), the 208 accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 1.8 s, faster than a Formula 1 car! The car is driven by Sébastien Loeb, the nine-time WRC World Rally Champion, who adds a new line to his already impressive list of achievements. With a time of 8 min 13 s 878, he beats the previous record by over a minute and a half. Today, this time remains the absolute record for an internal combustion engine car. The car on display is a copy of the “real thing” that Sébastien Loeb has kept in his personal collection.

The “Peugeot and racing” exhibition ends with rally-raids and the Paris-Dakar (or Dakar for short, since it then moved to South America then Saudi Arabia). Following the discontinuation of the Groupe B in 1986, Peugeot turned its attention to the Paris Dakar and rally-raids, continuing its winning streak with the 205 T16 “Grand Raid” in 1987 and 1988. Reinforced and slightly less powerful than the Groupe Bs, the 205 T16s won in 1987 and 1988.

The 205 T16 Grand Raid is displayed in its “Camel” and “Pioneer” decorations, according to its sponsors. The 405 T16 Grand Raid appeared in competition in 1988, but had to wait until 1989 to win. In 1990, the 405 T16 Grand Raid returned to its “Camel” livery, and Peugeot scored a hat-trick at Paris Dakar, for an apotheosis in the category. All in all, these 2 cars took 4 successive victories on the Paris Dakar, as well as numerous other rally-raids (Atlas, Tunisia, Pharaons…).

In addition to these 4 “actual” racing cars is a 405 T16 “Prototype”, rarely exhibited, which is the link between the 205 and 405 Grand Raid. Based on a 205 T16, revised and improved, with a more powerful engine and 405-style bodywork, it was used to develop the 405 T16 Grand Raid.

In 2015, a new stage in Peugeot’s rally-raid history with the Peugeot 2008 DKR (winner in 2016), followed by the 3008 DKR, which won in 2017 and 2018. The car presented is that of Carlos Sainz, winner in 2018. While the name 3008 links it to the family SUV, with its huge wheels, wide suspension and fighter-plane cockpit, the 3008 DKR Maxi has little in common with the production car. Visitors will note that many of the racing cars on display are preserved as they were at the finish of the race, giving a better idea of what they can undergo during a race.

As we can see, in 130 years Peugeot has explored virtually every facet of motor racing, from the pioneers at the end of the 19th century to the present day, where Peugeot continues its commitment, particularly in hypercars with the 9X8. Peugeot has won emblematic events such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Indianapolis 500 Miles and the Dakar Rally, as well as numerous national, international and world titles.

The forty or so cars on display give a good overview of this great sporting adventure, while several TV screens throughout the exhibition bring these exploits to life. Visitors to the permanent collections will also discover some very fine cars, presented in an attractive museography.

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