VIN: the PTS Italia Peugeot 205 T16 Evolution 1 chassis C15
History of chassis C15
Of the 20 T16 Evolution 1s built, Peugeot Talbot Sport (PTS) allocated four for domestic rally programmes: C13 ran under the PTS Deutschland banner, C14 PTS Espana, C15 PTS Italia and C20 PTS UK. A fifth car (numbered out of sequence) was supplied to Bernard Darniche after he helped PTS develop the T16 (M1).
The Italian-bound example, chassis C15, was prepared in the rally department of Enzo Osella’s engineering outfit under the watchful eye of Mariolino Cavagnero.
C15 was registered MI 64170X and, throughout 1985, was used exclusively by Giovanni del Zoppo and his navigator, Elisabetta Tognana.
Highlights of their eight-rally campaign were victory on the Rally Citta di Sassari and second on the Rally 1000 Miglia (C15’s debut event).
Unfortunately, the only other finish was a seventh on the season-ending Rallye Sanremo (round 10 of the ‘85 World Championship). C15’s other five outings all ended in retirement.
Osella was subsequently contracted to run C15 for the 1986 season when Andrea Zanussi and Paolo Amati took over driver and navigational duties respectively. This new pairing finished on the podium in four out of the five rallies they contested and won the Rally di Limone Piemonte.
After his impressive form in C15, Zanussi was given a works drive in a T16 Evolution 2 for the ‘86 Sanremo Rally (where the entire team were wrongly excluded). He also went on to become a key part of the PTS Pikes Peak and Grand Raid programme in 1987.
C15 was retired from frontline rally duty at the end of the 1986 season.
Notable History
Peugeot Talbot Sport Italia (Osella Squadra Corse), Verolengo
Registered MI 64170X
30/03/1985 ARC Rally 1000 Miglia (G. del Zoppo / E. Tognana) 2nd oa, 2nd in class (#??)
17/04/1985 ERC Rally Costa Smerala (G. del Zoppo / E. Tognana) DNF (#5)
23/05/1985 ERC Rallye dell'Isola d'Elba (G. del Zoppo / E. Tognana) DNF (#4)
22/06/1985 IRC Rally Citta di Sassari (G. del Zoppo / E. Tognana) 1st oa, 1st Gr.B class (#??)
03/07/1985 ERC Targa Florio Rally (G. del Zoppo / E. Tognana) DNF (#1)
25/07/1985 ERC Rally della Lana (G. del Zoppo / E. Tognana) DNF (#??)
30/08/1985 ERC Rally Piancavallo (G. del Zoppo / E. Tognana) DNF (#2)
29/09/1985 WRC Rallye Sanremo (G. del Zoppo / E. Tognana) 7th oa, 7th Gr.B class (#9)
20/03/1986 IRC Rally 1000 Miglia (A. Zanussi / P. Amati) 4th oa, 4th in class (#??)
16/04/1986 ERC Rally Costa Smerelda (A. Zanussi / P. Amati) 2nd oa, 2nd in Gr.B class (#3)
15/05/1986 ERC Rallye dell'Isola d'Elba (A. Zanussi / P. Amati) 3rd oa, 3rd Gr.B class (#2)
12/06/1986 ERC Targa Florio Rally (A. Zanussi / P. Amati) 2nd oa, 2nd B12 class (#??)
04/07/1986 ITA Rally di Limone Piemonte (A. Zanussi / P. Amati) 1st oa, 1st B4 class (#1)
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Peugeot - http://www.peugeot.com
