For its penultimate WRC outing, C212 was allocated to Ford refugees Stig Blomqvist and Bruno Berglund for the high speed 1000 Lakes Rally held over 597km of gravel and tarmac stages between September 5th and 7th.

After Saby’s cracked block last time out in Argentina, the trio of Evolution 2s in attendance came with new engine block castings. There was also a revised front axle housing (now aluminium alloy) and the cars weighed in at between 1020kg to 1040kg. Engines were typically running 455bhp at 2.6 bar but another 30bhp was available at 2.8 bar if required.

Blomqvist ultimately came home fourth overall despite having lost control over one of the many jumps and damaged C212’s back end. Fellow Peugeot runners Timo Salonen / Seppo Harjanne and Juha Kankunnen / Juha Piironen finished first and second.

Chassis C212 made its final WRC outing with Andrea Zanussi and Paolo Amati on Rallye Sanremo, a mixed gravel / tarmac contest with 488km of special stages between October 13th and 17th. Four Evolution 2s were entered, all of which were in 1000 Lakes trim with up to 3 bar boost and 450bhp.

However, the Peugeots were scandalously excluded after 32 of the 41 stages when the partisan Italian scrutineers deemed intakes on their undersills to be generating ground effect which had been specifically outlawed since the Tour de Corse.

The decision was ultimately overturned in court and the Sanremo result struck from the record book.

Notable History

Peugeot Talbot Sport

Registered 290 FPF 75

29/03/1986 WRC Safari Rally (S. Mehta / R. Combes) 8th oa, 6th B12 class (#6)
02/06/1986 WRC Acropolis Rally (B. Saby / J.F. Fauchille) 3rd oa, 3rd B12 class (#9)
06/08/1986 WRC Rally of Argentina (B. Saby / J.F. Fauchille) DNF (#4)

Registered 244 FWH 75

05/09/1986 WRC 1000 Lakes Rally (S. Blomqvist / B. Berglund) 4th oa, 4th B12 class (#5)

Registered MI 07097Y

13/10/1986 WRC Rallye Sanremo (A. Zanussi / P. Amati) EXC (#6)

Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Peugeot – http://www.peugeot.com