Peugeot has announced its return to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb this year with a heavily modified 208 T16 that will be driven by nine-time world rally champion Sébastien Loeb.

A two-time winner of the “Race to the Clouds”, in 1988 with Ari Vatanen and 1989 with Robby Unser (both driving the 405 T16), Peugeot will once again try to win the world’s toughest and most spectacular hill climb race this year on June 30.

Peugeot has convinced sister-company Citroen to let its star rally driver Sébastien Loeb join the Pikes Peak effort for the first time in his career. Other key partners include Total, Red Bull and Michelin.

So far, we don’t get any technical details on the 208 T16 Pikes Peak, with Peugeot announcing a reveal event by mid-April. The car will be entered in the “Unlimited” class and will wear the start number “208”. To stand a chance of winning the race, Unlimited-class cars must have at least 1,000 hp, so expect the 208 T16 Pikes Peak to be a very different machine from the rally-spec 208 T16 pictured below.

The race comprises 156 turns over a distance of 20 kilometers (12.42 miles) that takes competitors from an altitude of 2,800 meters (9,186 ft) to 4,300 meters (14,107 ft) at its highest point.

You can watch Peugeot Sport’s teaser video announcing their Pikes Peak entry below and the “Climb Dance” award-winning short-film that shows Ari Vatanen’s amazing 1988 record-breaking run aboard the 405 T16, right below the break.

By Dan Mihalascu

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