From Paris to Pikes Peak: Peugeot opens exhibition 130 years of racing history

March 20, 2025

Sochaux

Peugeot fans and racing enthusiasts can have a great time from March 21 to September 30 at the Musée de L’Aventure Peugeot in Sochaux, the brand’s home base. Here, Peugeot is opening its doors for a spectacular exhibition on 130 years of motor racing. The highlights of the brand’s rich racing history come together and more than 40 race cars are on display, from the very first Peugeot Type 3 from 1891 to the tough 3008 DKR Maxi that conquered the Dakar Rally. No time for a museum trip to France? Below we give you a brief history lesson Peugeot motorsport.

From horsepower to racing cars

It all began in 1895, when Peugeot won the very first automobile race in the world: Paris-Bordeaux-Paris. With a car that at the time looked more like a carriage than a racing car, the duo of Koechlin and Rubichon took the top prize. Thus was born Peugeot’s racing obsession.

Since then, the brand has accumulated an impressive list of honors. Think of the iconic 205 T16, which rocked the rally world, the 905 and 908, which triumphed at Le Mans, and the 405 T16, which dominated the Dakar Rally. Peugeot also made its mark on Pikes Peak, the famous American hill climb.

A museum full of racing legends

Peugeot has not only four wheels, but also two wheels in its DNA. Consequently, motorcycles and bicycles are not missing from the exhibition. Did you know that Peugeot won the Tour de France no less than ten times between 1905 and 1977? Or that the P515 motorcycle smashed records in 1934?

Motorsports as a marketing tool

In the 1930s, Peugeot discovered the power of motorsport as a marketing tool. With models like the 201, 404 and 504, the brand proved not only its speed, but also its reliability in the world’s toughest rallies. With success: the victories of the 205 T16 in the 1980s provided a big boost in sales. Peugeot also remained active in racing in the 2000s. With the 206, the brand won three consecutive titles in the World Rally Championship. In 2009, Peugeot again proved its technological ingenuity with a victory at Le Mans, thanks to an HDi diesel engine with particulate filter.

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