Published: Dec 25, 2012

Le Mans Dealer Creates Peugeot 208 Rallye

Peugeot hasn't made a Rallye edition hot hatch in decades, but one dealership in France wasn't going to sit around waiting for the factory to produce one, so it made a 208 Rallye edition itself.

When a car arrives as a special edition, it usually comes that way from the factory. But one Peugeot dealership - in Le Mans, France, no less - has created its own special edition hot hatch. Taking its inspiration from the original 205 Rallye, Clara Automobiles turned the new 208 into a modern Rallye model. One step below the 208 GTI, the dealer-installed 208 Rallye has been garnering orders from across Europe since the dealer first revealed the package back in September.

The modifications involve fitting white alloys and special badges, but most importantly, trimming weight. By removing the soundproofing, rear-seat headrests and center armrests, Clara Automobiles managed to get the car's weight down to just over 2,400 lbs, making the pulling duty easier on the 154-horsepower 1.6-liter turbo four.