1988 Peugeot 405 T16 GR Pikes Peak
One of the most famous hillclimb cars in Pikes Peak history is the Peugeot 405 T16 driven by Ari Vatanen to record-winning time of 10:47:77.
This 405 was unique at the the time because of its four wheel steering a feature never before done in a rally or hillclimb car. It was based off the earlier 1987 Peugeot 205 T16 Pikes Peak which was too short for long, open hillclimbs.
The engineers with Peugeot used a carbon-kevlar version of the 405’s body overtop of a completely new chassis that made of sheet steel and tubular steel. The engine sat very low infront of the right rear wheel with the turbo charger on the opposite side.
The Grand Raid version of the car was originally built for the Paris-Dakar Rally and was modified with a huge rear wing and rear-wheel steering for its mountain-climb duty.
After it’s incredible debut at Pike Peak, Peugeot again returned and won the event outright in 1989 with driver Robby Unser.
In Detail
| type | Racing Car |
| released at | 1988 Pikes Peak Hill Climb |
| built at | France |
| production | 1 |
| engine | XU 9T Inline-4 |
| position | Mid, Transverse |
| aspiration | Garrett Turbocharger |
| ignition | Thomson Ignition system |
| block material | Alloy |
| valvetrain | DOHC, 4 Valves per Cyl |
| displacement | 1905 cc / 116.25 in³ |
| bore | 83 mm / 3.3 in |
| stroke | 88 mm / 3.5 in |
| compression | 7.0:1 |
| power | 447.4 kw / 600 bhp @ 7000 rpm |
| specific output | 314.96 bhp per litre |
| bhp/weight | 681.82 bhp per tonne |
| torque | 735 nm / 542.1 ft lbs @ 4500 rpm |
| redline | 8000 |
| body / frame | Carbon Body on Steel Monocqoue w/Rear Subframe |
| driven wheels | 4WD |
| wheel type | 5-Spoke |
| front tires | 16 |
| rear tires | 16 |
| front brakes | Ventilated Discs |
| rear brakes | Ventilated Discs |
| front wheels | F 225 x 50 cm / 88.6 x 19.7 in |
| rear wheels | R 270 x 45 cm / 106.3 x 17.7 in |
| steering | 4-Wheel Rack & Pinion |
| f suspension | Double Wishbones w/Twin Coil Springs |
| r suspension | Double Wishbones w/Twin Coil Springs |
| curb weight | 880 kg / 1940 lbs |
| weight distro | 63 % / 37 % |
| wheelbase | 2888 mm / 113.7 in |
| front track | 1430 mm / 56.3 in |
| rear track | 1430 mm / 56.3 in |
| length | 4250 mm / 167.3 in |
| width | 1760 mm / -1.0 in |
| transmission | 6-Speed Manual |
| tran clutch | Carbon Clutch |
| top speed | ~211 kph / 131.03 mph |
| fuel capacity | 35 litres or 9.24 gal. |
| key drivers | Ari Vatanen |
| race victories | Pikes Peak International Hillclimb 1988 |
