The Silver Bullet – 2001 Peugeot 206 WRC Evo 2

Wildly popular. That’s how we’d describe rallying at the turn of the new millennium. It was reminiscent of the halcyon days of Group B, when a similarly diverse range of manufacturers had flocked to the World Rally Championship. And the Peugeot 206 WRCs, also known as the ‘Silver Bullets’ were front and centre. Unlike the large, boxy and practical saloons which had become commonplace (and dominant) the comparatively dinky 206 was an entirely different proposition – compact, curvaceous and as nimble as a fly. Not only did the car return the title to Peugeot for the first time since the 205 T16 managed the same feat in 1985 and ’86, but it went one better, snatching the crown three times in a row, from 2000 to 2002. The Peugeot 206 WRC we’re pumped to be offering is chassis C37, one of the 21 cars built to Evo 2 specification. A Works Peugeot Sport entry in the 2001 and 2002 World Rally Championships, it has the distinction of being driven by three World Rally Champions: Marcus Grönholm, Didier Auriol and Richard Burns. The car is also a three-time WRC podium-finisher, its career-best results coming in the hands of Richard Burns, who finished second overall at Rallye de España. An instrumental cog in the machine that took Peugeot to the summit of the rally world in 2001 and 2002, this 206 WRC is an accessible and cost-effective avenue into the fantastic and fast-appreciating arena of World Rally cars. Video: Pietro Bianchi