Peugeot celebrates 200 years at Goodwood Festival of Speed
Peugeot, a sponsor of the prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed, is planning to use the event, which runs from 1st to 4th July, to celebrate its 200 years of brand evolution with a celebration of its past, present and future with an exhibition on its show stand to bring to life its latest ‘Motion & Emotion’ brand signature.
Participation in the innovative ‘Mobile Motor Show’ on Thursday,1st July will see the new RCZ Sports Coupé demonstrated to potential customers up the hill and around the roads of Goodwood. During the Festival weekend, key Peugeot cars will be driven on the hill climb and rally stages, including the IRC rally winning 207 S2000 in the capable hands of 2009 Champion Kris Meeke.
The iconic French brand has a large stand to showcase its celebration brand style. Complemented by the products of its past, the automotive displays include the Peugeot 302 Darl’mat – known as the ‘Sochaux Rocket’ – which took three top ten places at Le Mans in 1937. Another key exhibit is the iconic 402 Eclipse (the first car with a metal folding roof and a forebear of today’s popular 207 & 308 CC - Coupé Cabriolet), and the 205 T16, another icon of the brand that completely dominated the World Rally Championships of the 1980s.
The present vehicles on display include the new award-winning RCZ Sports Coupé that is characterised by its double-bubble roof – a legacy of the Le Mans 908 race car that is also on display, complemented in success with Kris Meeke’s rally winning 207 S2000. The RCZ Nurburgring race car is also displayed, having won its class in the recent 1000km endurance race.
The future is also clearly in sight with a host of revolutionary new products for tomorrow. Displayed in the UK for the first time is the Hybrid 3 Evolution – a three-wheel scooter concept with hybrid technology, the concept RCZ HYbrid4 and production-ready 3008 Crossover with HYbrid4 technology – which will be the first diesel-hybrid on sale in the UK from mid-2010 and shown in cutaway to illustrate its features. The Peugeot i0n is also displayed - a new all-electric car also on sale in 2010.
Making its UK debut is the stunning SR1 sports roadster concept – the design manifesto of the brand going forward - and complemented with another fascinating concept the BB1 – a four-seater, 2.5-metre electric vehicle that has been confirmed for production consideration.
Peugeot Managing Director, Jon Goodman comments; “At the Goodwood Festival of Speed, in the company of considerable motoring enthusiasm, be it from the attending public, the talented drivers or the unique gathering of automotive vehicles, it is significant that Peugeot - a brand with such wide appeal - is celebrating 200 years of considerable innovation, endurance and style.”
