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Chris Ingram flies in the union flag 208 for Peugeot UK on the Wales Rally GB

New PEUGEOT UK ‘Young Lion' has completed ERC debut in 208 R2 and now looks to Rally GB
Last year's class winner leads the field of RC4 (for naturally aspirated front-wheel-drive cars)
One of the youngest British drivers in Rally GB, 20-year old Chris is also a local boy

Talented young driver Chris Ingram is competing in next month's Wales Rally GB (13-16 November), debuting the accomplished PEUGEOT 208 R2 in the WRC Rally event. The rally has attracted considerable interest and for the first time in many years, has a maximum 160-car entry. Chris, one of the youngest drivers in the event, is placed to be first away in the RC4 category (for naturally aspirated front-wheel-drive cars), having won his class last year.

The PEUGEOT Financial Services and TOTAL Lubricants-supported PEUGEOT 208 has a distinctive livery that won't be missed, adorned in a Union Flag design dominating its bonnet and over its flanks. This is an evolution of a similar visual strategy that proved highly successful and prominent before.

British fans will be excited to see the return of PEUGEOT UK on its home WRC rally and Chris will be using the unique experience to expand on his considerable talent, having already achieved so much*.

The popular spectator event is within an hour's drive of Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool, and is expected to attract over 100,000 spectators, with the demographics of the WRC audience being 94% male, 74% European and 60% under 35. In this period, when PEUGEOT has considerably enhanced its product range and introduced the 308 GT and GT Line vehicles while celebrating 30 years of the GTi, it is the perfect placement for PEUGEOT enthusiasts.

Come and cheer on Chris Ingram in the PEUGEOT UK 208 at Britain's World Rally event

The Wales GB Rally itinerary:

Thursday 13th November

Ceremonial Start - Eirias Park (Colwyn Bay) - huge spectator attendance expected
Friday 14th November

8 stages + 2 service stops (where it is possible to witness the attention being placed on the car)
Saturday 15th November

9 stages including Chirk Castle spectator stage + 2 service stops
Sunday 16th November

6 stages including 2 runs around Kinmel Park, and the finish in Llandudno
PEUGEOT 208 R2 RALLY CAR

The PEUGEOT 208 Rally car is constructed to ERC competition specification R2 and designed to be an affordable, competitive start in professional rallying. Produced by PEUGEOT Sport, it features a styled design derived from the popular road-going 208 with evolutionary styling - with short overhangs and a flowing transition between the bonnet and windscreen pillars, emphasising the latest 208 design.

Compared to the 207 it replaced, the 208's body-shell is around 40kg lighter while a longer wheelbase improves stability with a lower centre of gravity to boost the vehicle's road-holding capabilities - an important feature in a competition-class rally car.

Safety hasn't been sacrificed, despite the reduced weight: the 208 R2 boasts a strengthened shell with a multi-point welded roll cage - a new manufacturing process for roll cage design and a major safety feature. The 208 R2's engine is a competition version of the 1.6-litre VTi road car engine, naturally-aspirated and producing some 185hp. This modern power-unit comes equipped with variable valve timing (VVT).

The gravel and asphalt versions of the 208 R2 are made available in kit form, including a fully-built engine. Those who prefer something a little less hands-on will also be able to buy the 208 R2 pre-built by PEUGEOT Sport. Kits will be available to convert the gravel version to asphalt, and vice-versa.

Follow @PeugeotRally on Twitter to keep up-to-date with the latest news on Chris Ingram and his rally driving adventure.

Chris Ingram's key achievements to date

Colin McRae ERC Flat Out trophy 2014 Circuit of Ireland Rally - youngest driver to win the accolade
Entered Junior ERC events in 2014 (finished 2nd in Azores, 3rd in Ypres, Belgium and was leading the UK round in Northern Ireland before crashing out)
Goodwood Festival of Speed 2013 and 2014 - invited driver
WRC debut on Wales Rally GB. First in R2 class
Winner of the 2013 John Easson Award for young rally drivers
UK Renault Sport R2 Trophy winner 2012 and 2013
‘MSA Young Driver of the Year 2012' ‑ first rally driver ever to win the award
Rally Du Var 2012 - official drive in Renault Clio R3
2012 youngest driver to score points in the British Rally Championship (aged 17)
2011 British Junior 1000 Rally Champion - with 7 overall victories
PEUGEOT

The PEUGEOT brand can trace its roots back to 1810. It was in 1889 that it began producing automobiles, thus in 2014 it celebrates 125 years of vehicle production with over 60 million sold. Demonstrated through its brand signature ‘Motion & Emotion', PEUGEOT is present in 160 countries, has 10,000 franchised dealers, and is recognised for the quality and design excellence of its products.

In 2013 PEUGEOT sold 1.5m vehicles worldwide, represented in the majority of markets around the world with a strategy to continuously move the Brand up-market.

The UK is currently the 3rd largest market for PEUGEOT. Recent models in the eight-car line-up include the expanding 208 range with the emblematic performance GTi, this year celebrating 30-years of GTi with the 208 GTi 30th. In 2015, GT and GT Line models express the performance of the 2014 European Car of the Year winning 308, supported by GT versions of the re-styled and enhanced 508.

PEUGEOT has a reinvigorated range of high quality products and services that provide and combine a refined design with great attention to detail, and a unique driving experience delivering the satisfaction and emotion identifiable with every PEUGEOT product.

PEUGEOT Press Contacts

Andrew Didlick, Communications Director
T: +44 (0)2476 884309 / M: +44 (0) 7836 362859 / E: Andrew.didlick@peugeot.com

Kevin Jones, Public Relations Manager
T: +44 (0)2476 884215 / M: +44 (0)7880 786596 / E: kevin.jones@peugeot.com

Steven Fahey, Public Relations Manager
T: +44 (0)2476 884216 / M: +44 (0) 7748 704219 / E: steven.fahey@peugeot.com

Craig Morrow, Press Fleet Coordinator
T: +44 (0)2476 884261 / M: +44 (0)7747 764745 / E: craig.morrow@peugeot.com

Janet Brace, Press Office Coordinator
T: +44 (0)2476 884257 / M: +44 (0)7798 607896 / E: janet.brace@peugeot.com

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