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NEWS
Peugeot 208 GTi for Bathurst
Bathurst and Targa campaigns likely for Peugeot's newest hot-hatch next yearPeugeot’s new 208 GTi could form the basis of a renewed motorsport focus for the French brand in Australia, including next year’s Bathurst 12 Hour race and Targa outings.
Speaking at this week’s launch of the $29,990 208 GTi, Peugeot Automobiles Australia Director Bill Gillespie told motoring.com.au the brand was close to a final decision on backing a 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour campaign.
“At this point we’re reconsidering the Bathurst 12-hour race in 2014,” he said.
“We’re right on the edge of having to make a final decision about that.”
Scheduled for February 7-9, next-year’s endurance classic will comprise just six classes (down from 12) and a maximum grid of 55 cars, with international-specification production and GT3 race cars again battling for outright honours.
The top three 2013 finishers in Erebus Motorsport’s Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG, the Clearwater Racing Ferrari and VIP Petfoods Porsche – plus entries from Lamborghini, McLaren, Audi, BMW and Corvette – will face stiff new competition from a factory-backed Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 driven by two-times Bathurst 1000 champ Rick Kelly.
While Class B will feature superseded GT3s and Class C is still for GT4-spec cars, next year three amalgamated Production Car and Invitational categories will form classes D, E and F.
If Peugeot campaigns the 208 GTi, it will compete against cars like the BMW 130i and the brand’s own RCZ in Class F, for the smallest (sub-3000cc) engines.
Meantime, Class D (Invitational, 4000cc-plus) will be the domain of BMW’s M3 and 335i, plus Commodore and Ford Falcon production cars, while Class E (Invitational, 3001cc-4000cc) will include the Holden/HSV Astra and SEAT Leon, among others.
Gillespie indicated Peugeot would also support private entries in tarmac rallies including Targa Tasmania, but ruled out a Honda Jazz-style assault on the Australian Rally Championship.
“ARC is not on the radar at this point,” he said.
“But if someone wanted to do something [with the 208 GTi] at Targa, it’s certainly something we’d consider.”
Gillespie said the 208 GTi would be well suited to an event like Targa Tasmania, which motoring.com.au contested this year in one of two factory-backed Renault Megane RS coupes.
“I think that would actually be a good fit for the car,” he said.
“I think Renault’s done a great job with getting its brand out to that sort of market and the 208 GTi has got plenty of straight-line mumbo, so would be in with a good shot.”
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Written byMarton Pettendy
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