Peugeot has unveiled more details of its Pikes Peak challenger, including its prodigious power figure. The 208 T16 will attack the world famous hill climb with an impressive 1016bhp/ton power-to-weight ratio, an identical figure to the 275mph Hennessey Venom GT hypercar and twice that of a Bugatti Veyron.
Power is served up by a twin-turbo 3.2-litre V6 engine boasting 875bhp. That’s a figure higher than not only the bulk of today’s supercars, but Formula 1 cars, too. Its forced induction is a riposte to the predicted 30 per cent loss in power that naturally aspirated engines face between the climb’s 2865m-high start point and 4301m peak. Claimed acceleration figures are rather impressive - 0-62 takes 1.8sec, 0-124 4.8sec and 0-149mph is completed in 7.0sec.
At its heart, though, the T16 – which weighs 875kg – deviates heavily from all other Peugeot 208s. Its running gear (including pushrod suspension), brakes vented carbon discs, 380mm front, 355mm rear) and aerodynamic setup – including that behemoth, 2m-wide rear wing – are from the French company’s former Le Mans competitor, the 908 HDI endurance racer.
The switch to an all-tarmac course for Pikes Peak has allowed such resource sharing, and with the T16’s speed set to reach 150mph in places, extravagant aerodynamic measures are useful. And while most attention will be directed to that spoiler, almost half the T16’s downforce will come from its underbody tray.
The mid-engine, four-wheel-drive 208 T16 – which is rather more menacing than the European R5 rally car of the same name – will be driven by World Rallying’s most decorated driver, Sebastien Loeb, who is dabbling in a number of motorsport arenas as his WRC involvement winds down after nine world titles.
i hate that red bull has to put there name on everything.....cant we for once see a nice car is some nice vintage race colours race? they should ban energy drinks from advertising just like tobacco and alcohol....just for a year.....so we can see cars and not billboards.......
^^^have to agree.....one handed, in the sunlight, manual everything.....and in a time when cars had too much power, very little grip and even less aerodynamics........
as for the sponsorship......lol......sponsorship makes it easier, but a big company like peugeot can manage to run a car or two out of pocket........ just as an example: Yamaha ran 2 factory moto gp motorcycles for two full seasons without title sponsors. and that's a company that was in the red and declining financially, but they still managed to do it and all for the sake of racing......
The world’s most famous hill climb and America’s second-oldest motorsports race will be live streamed online for the first time in its 91-year history.
The 2013 Pikes Peak Hill Climb can be watched online this year thanks to Red Bull TV, in what might be the fiercest competition Pikes Peak has ever seen. After practice and testing times this week, some are whispering that the 91st Pikes Peak International Hill Climb might see its first sub-nine minute mark. New records are anticipated especially since Sebastian Loeb and his Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak ran a blistering 3:26.153 on the lower portion of the climb.
13 drivers will be competing in the Unlimited division this year, including last year’s Rookie of the Year Romain Dumas and veteran Rhys Millen. And then there’s the Electric Auto division, where the legendary Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima will be up against Rod Millen, a 10-time winner at Pikes Peak in the Toyota TMG EV P002.
Loeb, Dumas, and Rhys Millen will head off the Car Divisions that will have 63 total drivers in the competition. Paul Dallenbach, in the defending Genesis Coupe, will be 13th in the driving order while Monster Tajima will be 34th, followed by the elder Rod Millen. And for those interested in Ken Gushi piloting the Lexus IS F CCS-R, he’ll be towards the back of the pack at 56th.
The live stream will kick off on June 30, 2013 at 10 a.m. EDT and run until 8 p.m. EDT.
As impressive as Loeb's car and skill is, Millen's car seems to be quite the match for it. He has the skill as well - it is known as Millen's Mountain after all
