A privately-entered Peugeot 207 is set to compete in next year’s Australian Rally Championship.
Kumho Motorsport Manager John Mills has announced that he will import a Peugeot 207 R3t Evolutione, modified to suit the ARC’s recently-introduced G2 class regulations.
The 2011-model 1.6 litre turbo charged 207 has been purchased from a Peugeot dealer in Poland. The car contested the Polish national championship before being sold to Mills. Th car has been shipped to the UK so that a Sadev six speed sequential gearbox can be installed.
While a team has not been locked in to run the entry, Mills confirmed that he negotiating with Innate Motorsport to campaign the Peugeot.
This year, Innate Motorsport campaigns a Ford Fiesta in the ARC, and Mills says that the team and driver Adrian Coppin will be a strong combination.
“The Innate Motorsport team has been going really well this year and its results have us fourth in the 2WD Championship with our Fiesta, but I want to step up to outright contention” Mills said.
“The Peugeot has the spec on paper and I think that Innate Motorsport and its driver Adrian Coppin is well placed to campaign the car next year.”
Coppin says that budget is the only issue stalling his team from confirming the deal.
“John has approached me about running the car next year and I am very impressed with the Peugeots specifications,” he said.
“I think the torque will make it very drivable and it should be able to run with the best G2 competitors.
“We have to raise the budget to run the car properly, so there are a few hurdles to get over before the deal is done.”
The team will travel to the UK in September to watch Wales Rally GB and then test the car before it is shipped back to Australia before Christmas.
The next round of the 2012 Australian Rally Championship will be held in New South Wales – the Coffs Coast Forest Rally – on October 13-14.
