Peugeot announcement to VW: Could easily break Pikes Peak record

The French car maker Peugeot came out in 2013 with a 8 75 hp four-wheel drive prototype based on the Peugeot 208 and the nine-time rally world champion Sébastien Loeb for the legendary hill climb on Pkies Peak in Colorado. The French combination pulverized the previous best time by around one and a half minutes and screwed the absolute best time to 8,13.878 minutes. A record for the ages was thought at the time.

In 2018, VW took on the all-electric sports car prototype VW ID. R attack the mountain. With Romain Dumas at the wheel, the 1,100 kilo and, according to the factory, 680 hp electric flounder managed to do it in 7: 57.148 minutes - 16 seconds faster than the French. Another record for the ages.

Feasible, but too expensive

This is now contradicted by Peugeot motorsport boss Peugeot Sport Bruno Famin. Compared to the British magazine “Topgear”, Famin was disappointed with the performance that VW delivered in Pikes Peak. Famin trusts himself and his team to be able to nibble another 10 to 15 seconds off the existing record with a combustion car.

For VW, however, the Pikes Peak number with an electric car was exactly the right marketing Coup. Peugeot itself had briefly considered attempting another record attempt, said Famin, but the time was not yet ripe for it. In addition, the enormous costs for such a project would currently not be justifiable.