If you like it and want the numbers let me know.
Here is my setup. It’s not perfect.
Sport Ignition
Race Pistions
Street Brakes
Extra Heavy Ballast
Race Tires
215 Rear
Heaviest Rims
21in FR
Race Diff
28.5FR
6.10 2.14 1.57 1.24 1.02 0.87
-1.4 -0.3 0.0 0.0 7.0
1 1
303 225 5.1 5.5
1.0 1.4 12 12
9.8 9.8 138 -8.9
73% 0%
My build
Street flywheel
Street brakes
Heavy ballast
Race tyres - stock width
Heaviest wheels 21 inch
Race clutch, driveline and diff
28, 29
6.10, 2.09, 1.59, 1.27, 1.04, 0.87
-2.0, -0.8, 0,0, 7
10, 1
300.5, 168.6, 4.8, 5.5
8.7, 8.7. 10.5, 10.0
9.8, 9.8. 35.2, -50
100, 0
Attention racers,
Event 31 is over, and here are the abridged results, with full results and more on the event sheet.
PHLS#32 officially starts now, and on this one I fell into a rabbit hole and ended up with 12 pages of a not-very-brief history of France’s Big Three. Enjoy.
Full details and voting on events 33 and 34 up in the top post.
Founding Years
Europe in 1810
This is what Europe looked like when Peugeot was founded, which is to say barely recognisable. Although in truth, disagreements between cousins, grandsons of the original Peugeot brothers, and co-directors Armand and Eugene Peugeot led to a split in 1888, two years after Armand had shown his prototype of the Peugeot Type 1 to the world. Armand founded his own company, the Peugeot Automobile Company, while Eugene kept the family business, The Sons of the Peugeot Brothers, to make everything from pepper mills to bicycles but not cars. The two companies merged in 1915, but the first Peugeot car on the market, the Type 2, was sold by Armand’s company, not Eugene’s. In short, Peugeot is and isn’t the oldest automobile company in the world. Isn’t that a fun fact?
Basilique du Sacré-Cœur under construction, Montmartre, Paris, 1882
With a 6.4% average incline and a peak at 9%, the Rue Lepic in Montmartre is one of the hardest slopes in Paris. There, on Christmas Eve 1898, Louis Renault bet that he could make the climb with a car of his invention. Bystanders laughed at such a ridiculous notion. And then he did it. 12 people ordered a car on the spot. Louis would go to found Renault with his brothers Marcel and Fernand soon after in 1899, though he would get sole ownership a decade later, after Marcel died in a race in 1903, and Fernand died of illness in 1909.
Herringbone gears
Patented in Poland in the late 19th century, the herringbone gear was spotted by André Citroën on a trip to his maternal country of origin in 1900 and he bought the patent. These gears offered a bunch of advantages over other methods of power transmission, they’re quieter and can take much more force and torque than standard gears, and they’re more efficient and much safer than leather belts used in factories that would often snap and kill workers. After a successful stint as a gear salesman, André Citroën was hired in 1908 to lead Mors, a renowned but financially troubled car company, and eventually founded his own in 1919.
Marcel Renault on a Type O race car during the infamous 1903 Paris-Madrid race
In the early days of the automobile, winning motor races was the best publicity you could get. Unfortunately, it was also a very dangerous sport. Cars had no safety features, roads were barely maintained dirt tracks. The 1903 Paris-Madrid race was stopped by the French government halfway through due to multiple fatal crashes. Marcel Renault, and at least 7 others, died in that race. Although Renault cars would continue to race, it would be at the hands of professional drivers only.
Late 19th century advert for Peugeot cars, featuring possibly a Peugeot Type 7
Of course, regular ads were a fairly standard way to advertise a product. These colorful painted ads from the 19th and early 20th century have now become collectors items.
Citroën’s name displayed with lightbulbs on the Eiffel Tower in 1925
André Citroën was known for such innovative publicity stunts. That same year, he also had his name written in that sky by a plane, possibly the first ever example of skywriting advertising. Citroën was a pioneer of the use of billboards for mass advertisement, and organised one-of-a-kind events, such as record-breaking events or land expeditions to Africa and Asia, all to sell his brand.
World Wars
Renault Type AG, Taxis de la Marne operation, September 1914
On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Days later, Germany declared war on France. Germany would then launch a blitz through Belgium. The march of the rapidly advancing German army was stopped by French and British troops in the Marne. The mobilisation of the fleet of Parisian taxis, nicknamed the Taxi de la Marne, was instrumental to quickly reinforce troops. At the time, over half the taxis of Paris were Renault Type AG cars, seen there in action. This was, of course, an amazing publicity for Renault.
Renault FT tanks in use by the US Army, September 1918
The Renault FT is considered to be the first modern tank. Mass produced from late 1917, its speed, agility, and the sheer number of units on the battlefield made it a redoutable weapon in the final stages of the war for Entente troops. Renault participated in the war effort majorly, and for his and his company’s contribution to victory, Louis Renault was decorated as a war hero.
Peugeot Autocannon armored car during WWI
Peugeot naturally participated in the war effort as well, building armored and transport trucks, airplane engines, but also bicycles, guns and ammo. Peugeot, Renault and Citroën profited massively from WWI, financially, reputationally, and from a production capacity standpoint.
Factory at Quai de Javel, Paris, date unknown
In 1915, André Citroën opened this massive factory to mass produce artillery shells for the war effort. It was then converted in 1919 to manufacture cars for the newly minted Citroën car company. The factory at Quai de Javel was the flagship of the company until its closure in 1975. The quai itself was renamed Quai André Citroën in 1958.
1929 Peugeot 201 sedan
The 1920s was a pivotal shift for the automobile industry. The manufacturing techniques of Henry Ford and the industrial build up of WWI allowed the automobile to become a product for the masses, and not just a pure luxury for a select few. Brands that didn’t make the transition would be hit hard in 1929 by the financial crisis. The Peugeot 201, introduced that same year, was the right product at the right time, a small economy car, not very innovative but reliable, pretty, and practical. It also introduced the central-zero naming convention that Peugeot still uses.
1934 Citroën 7A sedan
The Citroën 7 (1934-1941), so-called for its 7 tax-horsepower, and the later Citroën 11 (1934-1957) and 15 (1938-1956) were collectively known as the Citroën Traction (lit. front-wheel-drive), or sometimes Traction Avant (lit. front-front-wheel-drive). Though not the first car to use FWD, it was the first mass production car to have FWD, independent suspension on all four wheels, a monocoque body, rack and pinion steering and hydraulic brakes. It was, in 1934, the prototype of the modern car. And it was expensive, plagued by technical issues, and bankrupted Citroën. The company was bought by Michelin, André Citroën left soon after, in part due to health issues that took his life in 1935.
Original prototypes for a new small economy car for Citroën
To redress the company’s finances, Michelin ordered the development of a small economy car that would be Citroën’s people’s car. It was ready to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 1939. But on September 1st, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, and the world once again plunged into war. The prototypes and first models built were hidden from the Germans, and the car would not go into production before the end of the war.
Actors in a genuine 1942 Citroën T45 made for the German army
The Battle of France lasted six weeks, and in the end, N[history is censored I guess] Germany occupied more than half of France. French industries were put under supervision of various Germany companies. Citroën was supervised by Auto Union, and Renault by Daimler-Benz. Workers and executives complied more or less willingly, usually slowing down production, or sabotaging their own work. Citroën trucks left the factory with defective dipsticks to trick German mechanics, which led to endemic oil starvation issues. Such small acts of resistance were still dangerous. Besides the risk of arrest, torture, or death, what some feared most was to be taken to Germany for STO, compulsory work service.
Peugeot factory bodywork workshop, 1945
The Peugeot factory was renowned in Europe for its foundry. Anton Piëch (director of Volkswagen) and his father-in-law Ferdinand Porsche (that Ferdinand Porsche) took charge of the factory in 1943 with the intent to produce a mysterious new weapon, V1 missiles. The Peugeot family and workers worked with SOE and the Resistance to delay the deployment of V1s and prevent a single missile from ever being built in Sochaux. At the Liberation in 1944, Porsche and Piëch left the factory, stealing every bit of equipment they could, and destroying the rest. This is the real reason Peugeot threatened a trademark lawsuit over central-zero naming of the Porsche 901, as petty revenge for Ferdinand’s war crimes.
Scale models of Citroën 11 Traction
After a difficult launch, the Citroën Traction found its public. Its unparalleled handling, practicality, and new-found reliability made it the car of choice for both the Gestapo, N[history is censored I guess] Germany’s secret police, and the French Forces of the Interior, the Resistance. The model in the background is a gazogène, cars converted to a wood gas generator. Such modifications were common in Europe during WWII to circumvent petrol shortages, and especially in France during the Occupation. Associated with gangsterism in its early years, as it was one of the most powerful cars available in France and a tool of choice for enterprising criminals, after WWII the Traction’s image became inextricably linked to both the Occupation and the Liberation.
New York Times, October 25 1944, announcing the death of Louis Renault, pictured from a 1940 visit in Washington DC
Louis Renault met Henry Ford a few times, first in 1911 at Ford’s factory in Detroit. This wasn’t uncommon, André Citroën, and other automotive businessmen, visited Ford’s factory to take inspiration from the manufacturing system pioneered by Henry Ford. Louis Renault and Henry Ford though had one more shared interest beyond industrial engineering and cars: antisemitism. Unlike many others, Renault did not need much convincing to cooperate with the N[history is censored I guess]s. After Liberation, he was arrested in 1944 on charges of collaboration, and died under unclear circumstances awaiting trial. The company was seized and nationalised by the provisional government of Charles de Gaulle, and remained state-owned until 1996.
Recovery
A 2CV meeting
French industries weren’t in a great state after WWII, and people who had lost everything in the war weren’t really in a buying-expensive-cars type of mood. All over Europe, demand for small, practical, cheap vehicles was through the roof. After rebuilding the factories, it was time for Citroën to unshelve their 1939 prototype. Although it was cheap, the 2CV was still radically modern, borrowing some technologies developed for the Traction. Michelin, still owner of Citroën, used the 2CV to introduce radial tyres on the market. From 1948 to 1990, Citroën sold over 5 million 2CVs, and a few million more cars based on the same platform, including the beach buggy Mehari, and the extremely rare, twin-engined, 4x4 2CV Sahara.
Peugeot 404 Diesel des Records
After the Liberation, Peugeot stayed afloat firstly with its light motorcycle business, and secondly by putting the pre-war 202 back into production. Its 1948 successor, the 203, was Peugeot in a nutshell: technologically conservative, but incredibly stylish. It was Peugeot’s only passenger car on the market until 1955 and the introduction of the larger 403. Then, Peugeot did something uncharacteristic: they innovated. In 1959, the 403 received a diesel engine, at a time only Mercedes was fitting diesel engines in passenger cars, followed in 1960 by the 404 with a diesel option from the start. Diesel had a long list of disadvantages and was thought to be inferior, and so, despite being cheaper to run, some convincing had to be done. In 1965, Peugeot took a modified 404 cabriolet with a stock diesel engine and had it run 10 days at the Montlhéry oval, breaking a bunch of records, and doing it again a month later to break more records. Though it’s unclear what tangible effect the stunt had on sales, what’s sure is that Peugeot clearly showed they were serious about diesel.
Renault 5, 11, 16, and 8
Renault’s first post-war model was the 4CV. Like the 203 and 2CV, it was small, cheap, practical, and just what people needed. Renault then made bangers after bangers, with the Dauphine, R4, R5, and R8 being major successes. This allowed Renault to go after other markets, in the Americas, from Canada to Brazil, and all over Europe, from Spain to Turkey and even a partnership for the foundation of Dacia in the Romanian Socialist Republic. But Renault also suffered strike after strike, with a long tug of war between unions and executives in France, and despite good sales, in the mid 80s, Renault wasn’t doing so great.
US-spec 1986 Renault Alliance convertible
Renault’s first foray in the US was in 1906. It didn’t last very long, though long enough to sell a few AG taxis. After WWII, while Europe had been bombed and ravaged, the US had prospered, and for European manufacturers it was the place to be. In the 1950s, Renault started to export a few models to the US with limited success. To access a proper dealer network and gain a foothold on the market, in 1978, Renault entered a partnership with AMC, and increased its stake as AMC’s finances declined. Though the Renault Alliance was praised, sales were disappointing, and in the end Renault’s biggest success in the US would be the renewal of Jeep’s lineup. But by that time, it was Renault’s finances that were in the red. Though CEO Georges Besse was unwilling to pull out of the US, his assassination in 1986 by far-left terror group Action Directe prompted his successor to sell AMC to Chrysler and end’s Renault’s American adventure. At least, it was a far more successful attempt than Peugeot’s or Citroën’s.
1963 Presidential Citroën DS
After the technological revolution of the Traction, Citroën launched in 1955 another marvel, the DS, featuring hydropneumatic suspensions, brakes and steering, and directional headlights. The DS was a league above everything else on the road, so much so that it was not only the presidential car of Charles de Gaulle, but it was credited for saving his life in a 1962 assassination attempt, his driver managing to effortlessly outpace attackers on three wheels thanks to its unique suspensions and impeccable handling. But this renewed pursuit of automobile perfection had a cost. The DS, like the Traction before, was expensive and plagued with issues. Citroën would follow up with a costly experiment with Wankel engines, a colossal waste of money. Combined with the launch of another spaceship on wheels, the SM, a grand coupe intended for the US market that would almost immediately ban it, a venture for which they had bought Maserati at great cost, and once again, despite having made some of the most amazing cars in the world, Citroën was flirting with bankruptcy. And in 1974, Michelin sold Citroën to Peugeot.
Badge of the Peugeot 309
After buying Citroën, Peugeot decided it was a good idea to buy more stuff. For a symbolic dollar, Peugeot bought Chrysler Europe, and if it was so cheap, it’s because Chrysler Europe was riddled with debts and failing very hard at penetrating the European market. It was, in short, a very good way to throw a bunch of money out of the window, though serious financial troubles were ultimately avoided thanks to the excellent sales of the 205 and 405. The 309 remains the only trace in Peugeot’s model history of this little adventure, numbered out of sequence between the 305 and 306, as it was, in fact, supposed to be the Talbot Arizona, a successor to the Talbot/Simca/Chrysler/Plymouth/Dodge Horizon/Omni.
Renault into modern era
Renault Espace, Twingo, and Avantime
Part of the Chrysler Europe package was Matra, which was of interest to Chrysler due to its racing pedigree. While Chrysler in the US was entertaining the idea of reviving the minivan, Chrysler Europe worked with Matra on the same idea. After buying Chrysler Europe, Peugeot wasn’t particularly interested in Matra and let go of it, which then turned to Renault with the plans to a new type of vehicle. In 1984, and within months of each other, the Chrysler Voyager and Renault Espace hit the market, creating the minivan market out of thin air. Though the first couple years were difficult for the Espace, the minivan proved to be the undisputed family vehicle of the late 80s and 90s. Renault struck gold again in the 90s, shrinking down the Espace to create the Twingo, a revolutionary city car with TARDIS-like qualities. And then, in the 2000s, still riffing on the minivan, Renault would make a minivan coupe. They can’t be all winners.
Renault Group in 2025
The 1990s were for Renault a period of massive changes. In 1990, Renault bought the automobile division of Samsung, giving them a foothold in Korea, and later Asia. In 1993, Renault was in talks with Volvo for a merger, where they could take advantage of each other’s network respectively in South America and North America. But Renault’s majority stakeholder, the French state, was unwilling to lose control, and the Swedish investors of Volvo didn’t particularly want their national company to become French either. With the privatisation in 1996 and the lessons learned from the failure of the Volvo merger, Renault approached Nissan for a strategic partnership. Though called an “Alliance”, in reality, Renault had a 43% stake in Nissan, while Nissan had a 15% non-voting stake in Renault. Renault’s CEO, Carlos Ghosn, became CEO of Nissan as well. It was, in effect, a takeover.
Carlos Ghosn in front of a Nissan R35 GT-R
After Nissan, Renault attempted to buy Skoda, though Volkswagen swooped in to take the prize. Renault fell back on Romanian manufacturer Dacia, which they helped take off the ground back in the 1960s. Through Dacia, Renault launched the Logan, in a nutshell a modern interpretation of the people’s car, an ugly yet practical and effective car. In the 2000s, Renault continued to expand operations in Asia and South America. It also took a controlling stake in Lada-AvtoVAZ, opening the vast Russian market to Renault, though the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 forced them to divest. The Renault-Nissan Alliance expanded to Mitsubishi in 2016. Through the 2010s, the Alliance was in the top 5 automakers by sales. Although the Alliance saved Nissan from a very difficult financial situation in the late 1990s, leading to a revival of the Z and GT-R, tensions between Ghosn and Japanese investors became very public after Ghosn’s arrest in Japan. Under new management, the Alliance was restructured in 2023, with Renault starting to sell some of its stake in Nissan. The Alliance might not be long for this world, though Renault will likely come out of it fine.
Renault Zoe, one of the first mass market modern EVs
Renault was one of the first major manufacturers to jump in on EVs, alongside Nissan and the newcomer Tesla. With the Tesla Model S being a rather costly full-size sedan, the Nissan Leaf and Renault Zoe were the only alternative for small, compact EVs, long before the Mini, the Smart and the Fiat 500 made the turn. Renault’s lineup now has electric options for all models, and has been reviving the names of the Renault 5, 4 and Twingo for a range of new, “affordable”, compact electric vehicles.
Peugeot and Citroën into the modern era
OEM badge from Peugeot
Although this gave the Brits a good laugh, the acronym for filtre à particules, diesel particulate filter, is nothing to laugh at. Though not strictly a new invention, Peugeot was the first to make it standard on all its diesel passenger cars starting in 2000, preshotting future regulations. By then, diesel benefited from a variety of fiscal advantages in Europe, and in France in particular, and this was part of Peugeot’s renewed push for diesel. Of course, these days, diesel is associated with dieselgate, and although Peugeot isn’t usually explicitly named or wasn’t caught using defeat devices like some other manufacturers, their engines were nonetheless clocked above European NOx standards, and tainted by the bare naked fraud of Volkswagen and others.
Hydractive 3 suspension diagram of a Citroën C5
Developed for the DS and first installed on very late model Tractions, hydropneumatic suspensions are Citroën’s trademark, found on all of Citroën’s flagships and family sedans, from the DS to the C6. It gave Citroëns handling above anything on the road, better even than the most expensive supercars, with an incredibly smooth ride quality on top, to the point Rolls-Royce licenced it for its 1965 Silver Shadow. If this system is so good, why aren’t more cars using it? Well, besides being costly, it has had a few reliability issues. Without strict adherence to the maintenance schedule, a fault is very likely. And if maintenance is relatively easy, repairs aren’t, to the point some Citroën dealers refused to work these suspensions. Citroën discontinued its Hydractive system in 2015, though similar systems are still used by Mercedes and Audi.
Peugeot 20Coeur concept and 402 Éclipse Décapotable
In 1998, Peugeot unveiled a concept at the Paris Motor Show, a 206-based retractable hardtop convertible, to be released in 2000 as the 206 CC, for coupé-cabriolet. This wasn’t Peugeot’s first foray into the CC world. In 1932, Georges Paulin patented a powered retractable hard roof system, dubbed Éclipse. He put it in application in 1934 on a Peugeot 401D, and Peugeot bought his patent to make the first ever production car with such a system, the 402 Éclipse Décapotable. More than half a century later, the 206 CC kickstarted a trend of small economy cars with a powered hardtop. Renault Mégane, Nissan Micra, Opel Tigra, or Volkswagen Eos, they followed the commercial success of the 206 CC. Citroën also did its own take on the idea, with the C3 Pluriel. It’s perhaps best if we don’t talk about that one.
Then-president François Hollande in the presidential Citroën DS5 HY4
In 2009, amidst an identity crisis, Citroën launched the DS3, an upscale compact car based on the C3, but more importantly reviving the name of the DS. The goal for Citroën was to reconnect with its past of high end executive cars after the commercial failure of the C6. In 2014, DS was spun off as its own brand, becoming PSA’s luxury division akin to Toyota’s Lexus. Still no hydropneumatic suspensions though.
Citroën Ami and Fiat Topolino electric microcars
After acquiring Opel and Vauxhall from GM in 2017, PSA merged with Fiat Chrysler Automobile to form Stellantis in 2021. As they did before, Peugeot and Citroën met again with Chrysler and Maserati. With Stellantis, Peugeot and Citroën are now part of the fifth largest automaker conglomerate, though it’s unclear how well the future will turn out.
Wait, there’s way more!
Renault Sport
Renault Type Ks posing before the Paris-Vienna race, 1902
Renault has a long history with motorsports, and also with turbos. Indeed, in 1902, Louis Renault patented a novel method of supercharging, using a turbine to compress air before sending it into the engine, and used this invention on race cars. Though it wasn’t quite turbocharging as we know it, that would come from Swiss engineer Alfred Büchi in 1905, who had the idea of using exhaust gasses to spool the turbine.
Renault Type AK of Ferenc Szisz leading the French GP, 1906
In the early days of motor racing, Marcel Renault himself participated in races, until his death in 1903 in the Paris-Madrid race. Renault though kept participating in races, only driven by professionals and not members of the Renault family. Renault won the first Grand Prix in history at Le Mans in 1906. By WWI though, Renault largely retired from Grand Prix racing and did not make significant headways into motorsports until after WWII.
Two R8 Gordinis, Circuit de Charade, 1969
It’s impossible to speak further of Renault and sport without mentioning two names. The first name to mention is Amédée Gordini, an Italian-born race driver and engineer, nicknamed The Sorcerer for his ability to extract every horsepower out of an engine, and then extract some more. With his experience in early Formula One in the 1950s, Gordini was given free reins by Renault to develop performance versions of passenger cars, starting with the Dauphine in 1957. His best known car is the Renault 8 Gordini, an economy family car pushed to a blistering 74 kW. That might not seem like a lot, but at that time, it was plenty enough to be scary fast.
Alpine A106, Mille Miglia, 1956
The second name to mention is Jean Rédélé, a Renault dealer who liked to modify and race his cars. Rédélé started with a Renault 4CV (production code R106x), and more specifically the R1063 specially designed by Renault for client competition. Rédélé entered a few rallies with his R1063, before having it coachbuilt. He then started to design more coupe bodies for the 4CV, before finally turning it into a proper model. In 1955, Rédélé started his own company, Alpine, and put out his very first production model, the 4CV-based A106.
Alpine A110 1800 Gr4, Rallye Sanremo, 1973
Of course, Alpine is better known for the A110. Based this time on the Renault 8, and using Gordini’s tuned up engine, the A110 was entered in the International Championship for Manufacturers, the precursor to WRC, with great success. This would prompt Renault to buy Alpine in 1971, and thus de facto put Renault into rallying. The first season of WRC, in 1973, was handily won by Alpine-Renault.
Renault 5 Alpine and Renault 5 Turbo
In 1976, Alpine was completely integrated into the brand new Renault Sport division. The name Alpine would take the place of the Gordini brand name on the Renault 5, which largely disappear afterwards. Alpine’s know-how would be used to great effect to build GTs and Le Mans prototypes, with the A442 winning Renault’s first, and only, 24 heures in 1978. Alpine then converted the R5 into a rally beast, moving the engine and driven wheels to the back, and adding in a massive turbo, making the R5 Turbo one of the first turbocharged rally cars ahead of Group B regulations.
Renault Clio Maxi Kit Car
Through the 80s and 90s, Renault had a participation in touring, in Argentina with the Renault Fuego, or in the UK with the R19 and Laguna. It came back into rallying with kit cars, competing with other 2WD naturally aspirated cars. In addition, over the years, Renault has hosted a variety of one-make series, from the R8 Gordini Cup to the Clio Cup, but also series for the Dacia Logan, for the bespoke R.S. 01 (not to be confused with the F1 of the same name) or its own Formula Renault.
Engine on a Renault F1 RS01, the first turbocharged F1
But Renault is perhaps better known for its participation in Formula 1. With the knowledge of Gordini and Alpine, Renault entered F1 in 1975, fielding the first turbocharged F1 car on the grid. Though the first years were difficult, and other teams were unconvinced by the technology, Renault won its first Grand Prix in 1979. Appropriately, Renault would turbocharge Alain Prost’s career, who won 9 GPs in 1981, 1982 and 1983, and the turbo would gradually impose itself as a must have.
Fernando Alonso in his Renault R26, Canadian GP, 2006
After disappointing results in 1984 and 1985, Renault retired as a manufacturer but kept supplying engines. Renault notably powered the Williams and Benetton teams in the 90s, which led to 5 manufacturer titles with Renault engines. In 2000, Renault bought the Benetton team to come back as a manufacturer. With the legendary Flavio Briatore at the helm of the team, Renault hired Fernando Alonso in 2002, who gave Renault two championship (both driver and manufacturer) wins in 2005 and 2006. Renault retired again, though they supplied engines to Red Bull for their first 4 championship wins. Renault unretired once more, partnering with Lotus without much success, and as Alpine from 2021, without much more success either.
Clio Cup at the Red Bull Ring, 2021
On the road, Renault has had a long history of performance versions of its cars, from the 4CV R1063 that inspired Alpine to the modern Clio and Mégane RS that have held FWD lap records on the Nordschleife, from the smallest Clio Williams, to the full size Safrane Biturbo, from the inconspicuous Renault 11 Turbo, to the absolutely mad Clio V6. Lately, in 2017, Renault revived the Alpine brand to deliver the new and improved A110, a light, mid-engined sports car that would make Rédélé proud, though Alpine’s next vehicle, an electric SUV, probably won’t.
Peugeot Sport
Jules Goux and his riding mechanic in their Peugeot L76, Indianapolis 500, 1913
Peugeot entered 5 cars in the 1894 Paris-Rouen, widely regarded as the first motor race in history, and won after the disqualification of the first arrival. Peugeot participated in various races, winning the 1912 French Grand Prix, or the 1913 Indianapolis 500. Yes, you read that right. Oh, and again in 1916 and 1919. Post-WWI, André Boillot would become a prolific driver for Peugeot, winning the 1929 Targa Florio, the 1926 24 hours of Le Mans and Monza, and even entered the 1932 Monte-Carlo rally. In short, Peugeot was everywhere, and pretty good at it.
Peugeot 205 T16 and friends, Rallye de Monte-Carlo, 1986
After WWII, it’s in rally that Peugeot would first find success, with a few wins on the 203, 403, 404, and 504. In 1982, former driver Jean Todt (of F1 Scuderia Ferrari and FIA leadership fame) is hired by Peugeot to head their sports division. He oversaw the development of a new rally car. The result is the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16. Similarly to the Renault 5 Turbo, this is a 205 only in name and general shape. Unlike the R5 Turbo, the 205 T16 has 4WD and is specced for Group B. With it, Peugeot would put an end to the Lancia/Audi rivalry by winning the 1985 and 1986 championships.
Ari Vatanen blocking the Sun and driving his 405 T16 one-handed, Pikes Peak, 1988
With the end of Group B in 1986, rather than develop a new car for the new regulations, Peugeot decided to take its monster and let it roam free in rally raid. The 205 Turbo 16 won the Dakar rally in 1987 and 1988. It was replaced by the 405 Turbo 16, largely based on the same platform. That won the Dakar rally in 1989 and 1990 in the hands of Ari Vatanen. Vatanen also took a specially prepared 405 T16 to Pikes Peak in 1988, immortalised in the promotional movie Climb Dance. He obviously broke the record while doing it.
Peugeot 206 WRC, Rally Sweden, 2003
Much like Renault, after leaving WRC, Peugeot first dipped a toe back with kit cars. The 306 Maxi brought Peugeot back into the arena, and after a test season in 1999, Peugeot was back at the top of WRC, with three manufacturer and two driver titles in 2000, 2001, and 2002. The weapon of rally domination was, naturally, the 206 WRC, less bonkers than the mid-engined 205 T16, but just as effective. For a fun fact, the 206 WRC had to be augmented with extra thick bumpers to fit minimum length regulations. Peugeot’s reign of terror was ended by two things. The first was Citroën, that started to sweep everything from 2003 onwards. And the second was Peugeot, that retired the 206 WRC in 2003, to replace it with the 307 WRC in 2004. The 307 WRC, instead of being based on the hatchback model, like the 206 WRC was, or indeed any reasonable rally car would, was instead based on the 307 CC, a coupé-cabriolet. It did pretty well, considering the woefully unfit base it was built on.
Peugeot-powered WM P88, Le Mans, 1988
In 1969, two designers at Peugeot, Gérard Welter and Michel Meunier, started their own racing team in their free time, called WM. They built a car, raced it in any race they could enter. They had of course greater ambitions. After 5 years of work, in 1976, WM fielded a homemade prototype to the 24 heures du Mans. In 1977, they entered two cars, and one even finished the race. In 1979, one of their cars finished first in its category. For 1980, Peugeot took interest and gave them a budget. They finished 4th overall, which is a pretty good result for two guys with a garage. But in the 80s, endurance quickly became out of reach for such a small, artesanal team. Knowing victory was impossible, they geared for one final publicity stunt: “Project 400”. And in 1988, the WM P88 became the fastest racecar in the world, clocked at 407 km/h on the Hunaudières (advertised as 405 by Peugeot for marketing reasons).
Peugeot F1 engine in the 1994 McLaren MP4/9
Though not an official Peugeot team, this experience inspired Peugeot Sport to enter the dance, resulting in the development of the 905, and marking Peugeot’s return to endurance. It took first and second place in the 1992 World Sportscar Championship, and won Le Mans in 1992 and 1993. With the mission accomplished and a competitive engine on hand, Peugeot decided to make the jump to Formula 1. Indeed, the V10 of the 905 could be easily adjusted to F1 regulations, and in 1994 McLaren chose Peugeot to power their MP4/9. With a 4th place in the manufacturer and driver championship, that’d be Peugeot’s best year. Peugeot retired from F1 after 2000, to better concentrate on endurance.
Audi R18 TDI vs Peugeot 908 Hybrid 4, Le Mans, 2011
In 2005, with regulation changes, Audi and Peugeot had the same idea: what if you put a diesel in a LMP? It would take two years for Peugeot to develop a car, but in 2007, Audi’s turbodiesel R10 faced off against the brand new Peugeot 908 equipped with the trademark Filtre À Particules. Though Audi would take the win at Le Mans that year, Peugeot won the Le Mans Series, and the battle of the diesels would only get more intense. After a win at Le Mans in 2009, Peugeot retired from endurance in 2012, before making a comeback in 2022, so far not a very successful one.
RHD Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9
Peugeot has a less extensive history of sportifying its road cars than Renault, but still has experience turning small hatchbacks into hot hatches, starting with the 104 ZS. But it’s the 205 that would put Peugeot on the map. Though the 205 Turbo 16 is the most extreme example of it, being an homologation special for the insane Group B regulations, the 205 GTI is Peugeot’s landmark hot hatch. Meant to compete with Renault’s R5 Alpine and Volkswagen’s Golf GTI, the 205 GTI was for many the better alternative. The 205 had more sporty versions, including another rally homologation car, the 205 Rallye, for Group N regulations.
US-spec Peugeot 405 Mi16
After the 205, it was the 405’s turn. However, unlike the 205, the road version of the 405 T16 wasn’t an homologation car, and wasn’t directly derived from the mid-engined race model, but rather it was an upgrade on the previous 405 Mi16, with a beefed up engine, four-wheel-drive, and the engine at the front like any other 405. That was Peugeot’s last full-size performance car before the 2021 508 PSE, though the hatchbacks continued to receive the GTI treatment, from the 106 XSI to the 308 GTI.
Citroën Racing
Citroën DS19 of Timo Korpivaara, 1000 Lakes Rally, 1956
Never in a million years would you normally associate Citroën with sports. It was, and still is, known as a grandpa’s car company. And yet… The Citroën DS had a successful career in rallying, winning a few rallies through the 60s, and Citroën also organised competitions for its 2CV. But the bankruptcy and buyout by Peugeot put a stop to Citroën’s official involvement in motorsports for a time.
Citroën ZX Rallye Raid, Dakar rally, 1997
In the 80s, the place to be was Group B, and Citroën, in a better financial state, decided to join the fight. However, the BX 4TC proved to be laughably inadequate, with an elongated nose (because the engine didn’t fit otherwise) that made it unbalanced and uncompetitive. With the end of the Group B regulations, Citroën exited WRC and largely ate the scraps of Peugeot Sport. Which wasn’t the worst thing in the world. From the Peugeot 405 T16, Citroën developed the ZX Rallye-Raid, and won the Cross-Country Rally World Cup 5 years in a row, and the Dakar rally 4 times.
Citroën Xsara Kit Car and Xsara WRC
In the late 90s, Citroën came back to rallying, but in the 2-Litre Cup category. The Xsara Kit Car, with its FWD drivetrain and naturally aspirated engine, as was the rule for 2-Litre Cup cars, ended up winning two rallies in 1999, ahead of the more powerful, 4WD WRC cars. But that was also the last year of the 2-Litre Cup, and thus Citroën decided to make the jump to WRC. This time, they didn’t come to play. After taking a year off to develop a car, Citroën introduced the Xsara WRC and an up and coming French driver, Sébastien Loeb.
Sébastien Loeb’s Saxo Kit Car, Xsara WRC, C4 WRC and DS3 WRC
2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, eight manufacturer titles, second only to Lancia. 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, nine driver titles to Sébastien Loeb, and 102 rally wins, second to none. Citroën simply dominated WRC for a decade. Citroën then successfully converted its rally car to participate in WTCC, winning 3 manufacturer titles, and more anecdotally participated in rally cross with two driver titles. Add to that the rally raid victories, and Citroën is, somehow, probably the most successful manufacturer in all things rallying.
Citroën Visa GTI
Citroën has had a few high-powered cars, perhaps most notably the SM with its Maserati V6, but they were not quite performance cars. Through the 80s and 90s, as it did on the track (or more usually dirt), Citroën’s performance lineup largely followed Peugeot’s on the road. The Citroën Visa GTI was half 205 GTI, half 104 ZS, while the AX GTI borrowed the engine of the 106 XSI. Citroën did develop a few hot hatches on its own, largely around its rally participation. These include the infamous BX 4TC in the Group B era, and the Saxo, Xsara and C4 VTS during Citroën’s era of total domination. Citroën’s last hoorah would be the DS3 Racing, with the end of Citroën’s participation in WRC also marking the end of Citroën performance road cars.
I’m happy with this week. R5 GTT!! Yay!
Probably won’t be the fastest car but I’m going to give it a good go.
PHLS#32
Starting with the modern, regular ones
DS3#57.816
P308#58.042
Megane#58.589
And then the others
R5#57.865
ClioW#57.598
ClioV6#57.917
P205#57.754
It’s official. I can’t get the 5 Turbo to go any faster.
Yeah i used a tune that was meant to be a second faster but i couldnt get it past 55.7 but i thought you would figure it out and get it in the 54s