Peugeot unveiled yet another version of the new 208 at the Paris Motor Show, and it’s a good one. The Peugeot 208 R5 rally car is the replacement for the 207 Super S2000, a rally car you could buy and compete in most national and international rallies with. The new car benefits from Peugeot’s years of experience in making such cars, so it should be pretty good.
As the name suggests, the 208 R5 belongs to the R5 category of group A vehicles. In order to be eligible for the class, at least 25,000 unit of the ca must have been produced. That should be no problem for the popular 208. The biggest difference the 208 has over the 207 S200, is the engine.
The previous car had a 2.0 liter engine. But now regulations dictate the engine should be s 1.6 liter Turbo. Peugeot has lots of those. A 1.6 THP will power the R5, while its four-wheel drive, five-speed sequential gearbox, no central differential and long travel suspension make sure that power is delivered the best way possible to the ground.The car also has 18-inch wheels
The Peugeot 208 R5 benefits from the product developments of the 208 production car, particularly in regards to the weight. The shell of the 208 has benefited from a weight reduction of approximately 40 kilos compared with its predecessor the 207. It weighs no more than 1,200 kg.
The R5 Peugeot 208 is being readied for the second half of 2013. It will be competing in the hands of privateers in various Intercontinental, European and national rally championships.