Peugeot 206 WRC - The Champion Lion

In 1999, Peugeot unveiled the 206 WRC, and it competed for the first time in that year’s World Rally Championship. The car was soon a success, and won the driver’s championship in 2000 in the hands of Marcus Gronholm. In 2002, Gronholm again won the WRC title in his 206 WRC. His dominance that year was compared to Michael Schumacher’s dominance of Formula 1. In addition to the driver’s championships in 2000 and 2002, Peugeot also won the Manufacturers title three years in a row between 2000 and 2002. However, by 2003 the 206 WRC was beginning to show its age and was less effective against the competition, notably the newer Citroën Xsara WRC and the Subaru Impreza WRC, so it was retired from competition at the end of the season, to be replaced with the 307 WRC.