<< Prev Page 2 of 2 Dubbed the 405 T16 Grand Raid, the new Peugeot machine debuted at the 1988 Paris-Dakar rally where it lined up alongside the tried and trusted 205 T16. The car tipped the scales at 880 kg with empty tanks but once filled to the broom with 435 litres of fuel, the new 405 weighed 1300 kg. The French team consisted of two 405s and two 205s. Peugeot's conservative strategy of entering two of each car paid off as the new car struggled on its debut. Fortunately one of the two 205s did survive the gruelling rakky to take the type's second win.
Alongside the Grand Raid, Peugeot also developed a slightly different version of the 405 T16, specifically for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. It was slightly lower, fitted with massive wings and rear-wheel steer. Ari Vatanen took a convincing victory and bettered the record set a year earlier by Walter Rohrl in an Audi. The Fin's heroic efforts were captured in the spectacular short movie 'Climb Dance'. Especially the on-board footage showed just how brave these drivers were. In 1989, Robby Unser took the 405's second Pikes Peak win and Vatanen's record was not beaten until 1994.
Peugeot returned to Paris-Dakar in 1989 with the 405 and despite one of the cars being held for ransom by some locals, took yet another victory in the world's most famous long distance rally. Following the example set by its predecessor the 405 T16 Grand Raid followed its first victory by a second. This proved to be the end of the long career of one of the most successful family of rally cars ever. Peugeot set its sight on the 24 Hours of Le Mans, while sister company Citroen took over the Paris-Dakar reign in 1991. << Prev Page 2 of 2
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Dubbed the 405 T16 Grand Raid, the new Peugeot machine debuted at the 1988 Paris-Dakar rally where it lined up alongside the tried and trusted 205 T16. The car tipped the scales at 880 kg with empty tanks but once filled to the broom with 435 litres of fuel, the new 405 weighed 1300 kg. The French team consisted of two 405s and two 205s. Peugeot's conservative strategy of entering two of each car paid off as the new car struggled on its debut. Fortunately one of the two 205s did survive the gruelling rakky to take the type's second win.