VIN: the works Peugeot 205 T16 Evolution 2 chassis C204
History of chassis C204
Chassis C204 made its debut at the third event in which Peugeot campaigned the T16 Evolution 2: the 1985 Rallye Sanremo. It was one of 20 Evolution 2s built – the minimum number required by Group B’s regulations that permitted further updated variants of the base car every twelve months.
Three T16s were on hand for the Sanremo event: a pair of Evolution 2s for Timo Salonen / Seppo Harjanne (C204) and Bruno Saby / Jean-Francois Fauchille (C205) plus Peugeot Talbot Sport Italia’s Evolution 1 for Giovanni del Zoppo / Elisabetta Tognana.
The 697km event took place over a mixture of gravel and tarmac between September 29th and October 4th. Peugeot switched suspension set-ups between the different types of stages and ran power steering for the first time. The Evolution 2s weighed 960kg and produced between 460bhp and 480bhp depending on boost.
After briefly leading, a series of niggling engine problems saw Saby drop down the order before he eventually succumbed to a cylinder head problem on the penultimate day.
In C204, Salonen also experienced problems including a broken rear differential and then the loss of third gear with just two stages to go. Nevertheless, he held on to take second behind Walter Rohrl who dominated the event in the latest Audi Sport Quattro which finished six-and-a-half minutes up the road. The PTS Italia example finished seventh.
Chassis C204 next appeared at the season-ending RAC Rally (November 24th to 28th) where Lancia gave the highly anticipated Delta S4 Evoluzione its WRC debut.
Peugeot ran the same pair of cars seen on the Sanremo in the same specification, but this time Ford refugee Kalle Grundel was in C205 alongside Terry Harryman while Salonen / Harjanne were back in C204. PTS UK’s Evolution 1 was also on hand for the 897km all-gravel event with Mikael Sundstrom / Paul White on driver and navigator duty respectively.
Unfortunately, none of the Peugeots made it to the finish. Grundel crashed out on stage 20 and Salonen retired on stage 21 with no oil pressure. The PTS UK machine was rolled and could not continue.
Meanwhile, the new Lancias finished first and second with Henri Toivonen / Neil Wilson leading team-mates Markku Alen / Ilkka Kivimaki home in an ominous statement of intent for 1986.
Chassis C204 was subsequently retired from competition duty.
Notable History
Peugeot Talbot Sport
Registered 704 EXC 75
29/09/1985 WRC Rallye Sanremo (T. Salonen / S. Harjanne) 2nd oa, 2nd Gr.B class (#3)
24/11/1985 WRC RAC Rally (T. Salonen / S. Harjanne) DNF (#1)
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Peugeot - http://www.peugeot.com
