VIN: the works Peugeot 205 T16 Evolution 2 chassis C212
History of chassis C212
In terms of distance covered during competitive events, chassis C212 was probably the most extensively rallied 205 T16 Evolution 2 campaigned by the Peugeot Talbot Sport operation.
C212 made its debut at round four of the 1986 World Championship: the 4190km Safari Rally which took place between March 29th and April 2nd.
Two special Evolution 2s were built up for the event, one for 1985 winners Juha Kankunnen / Juha Piironen (C211) and the other for five-time winner Shekhar Mehta and his co-driver, Rob Combes (C212).
Engines were de-tuned to 400bhp at a maximum boost of 2.5 bar and all the normal Safari extras were installed. In addition, the second spare wheel was moved from roof to the front compartment. The auxiliary fuel tank that normally resided there was replaced by two long-range 60-litre cells underneath the seats. The event also marked the debut for Peugeot’s remotely operated shock absorber cooling system.
After his pre-event test car caught ablaze and was completely burnt out, Mehta’s debut with the 205 was marred by blown turbos and a damaged back end after Erwin Weber’s Audi wrecked the Peugeot’s oil cooler and exhaust. The Kenyan nevertheless managed to finish eighth albeit more than three hours behind the winning Toyota Celica.
C212 next appeared at round six: the 575km all-gravel Acropolis Rally (June 2nd to 4th). Now with its Safari trim removed and in the hands of Bruno Saby / Jean-Francois Fauchille, the French pairing put in a steady first gravel drive in the T16 to finish third while team-mates Kankunnen / Piironen took victory.
Saby and Fauchille were then back in C212 for round eight, Rally Argentina, a 569km all-gravel event held between August 6th and 9th. No major updates were introduced and C212 retired on stage eight after the engine ominously began to consume water before the block cracked. Improved tyres for the Lancia squad saw them emerge victorious.
For its penultimate WRC outing, C212 was allocated to Ford refugees Stig Blomqvist and Bruno Berglund for the high speed 1000 Lakes Rally held over 597km of gravel and tarmac stages between September 5th and 7th.
After Saby’s cracked block last time out in Argentina, the trio of Evolution 2s in attendance came with new engine block castings. There was also a revised front axle housing (now aluminium alloy) and the cars weighed in at between 1020kg to 1040kg. Engines were typically running 455bhp at 2.6 bar but another 30bhp was available at 2.8 bar if required.
Blomqvist ultimately came home fourth overall despite having lost control over one of the many jumps and damaged C212’s back end. Fellow Peugeot runners Timo Salonen / Seppo Harjanne and Juha Kankunnen / Juha Piironen finished first and second.
Chassis C212 made its final WRC outing with Andrea Zanussi and Paolo Amati on Rallye Sanremo, a mixed gravel / tarmac contest with 488km of special stages between October 13th and 17th. Four Evolution 2s were entered, all of which were in 1000 Lakes trim with up to 3 bar boost and 450bhp.
However, the Peugeots were scandalously excluded after 32 of the 41 stages when the partisan Italian scrutineers deemed intakes on their undersills to be generating ground effect which had been specifically outlawed since the Tour de Corse.
The decision was ultimately overturned in court and the Sanremo result struck from the record book.
Notable History
Peugeot Talbot Sport
Registered 290 FPF 75
29/03/1986 WRC Safari Rally (S. Mehta / R. Combes) 8th oa, 6th B12 class (#6)
02/06/1986 WRC Acropolis Rally (B. Saby / J.F. Fauchille) 3rd oa, 3rd B12 class (#9)
06/08/1986 WRC Rally of Argentina (B. Saby / J.F. Fauchille) DNF (#4)
Registered 244 FWH 75
05/09/1986 WRC 1000 Lakes Rally (S. Blomqvist / B. Berglund) 4th oa, 4th B12 class (#5)
Registered MI 07097Y
13/10/1986 WRC Rallye Sanremo (A. Zanussi / P. Amati) EXC (#6)
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Peugeot - http://www.peugeot.com
