Engineering:Peugeot 307 WRC

Short description: Peugeot World Rally Car

Peugeot 307 WRC

Category	World Rally Car
Constructor	Peugeot Sport
Predecessor	Peugeot 206 WRC
Technical specifications
Length	4,344 mm (171.0 in)
Width	1,770 mm (69.7 in)
Height	1,370 mm (53.9 in)
Wheelbase	2,610 mm (102.8 in)
Engine	1,997 cc (121.9 cu in) I4 turbocharged Front transverse
Transmission	Five-speed sequential 4-wheel drive
Weight	1,230 kg (2,711.7 lb)
Tyres	Michelin Pirelli
Competition history (WRC)
Notable entrants	Peugeot Sport OMV Peugeot Norway
Notable drivers	Nicolas Bernardi Daniel Carlsson Gigi Galli Marcus Grönholm Sebastian Lindholm Freddy Loix Markko Märtin Harri Rovanperä Henning Solberg Manfred Stohl
Debut	2004 Monte Carlo Rally
First win	2004 Rally Finland
Last win	2005 Rally Japan
Races Wins Podiums Titles 36 3 26 0

The Peugeot 307 WRC is a World Rally Car based on the Peugeot 307 road car. It was used by Peugeot Sport, Peugeot's factory team, and replaced the championship-winning 206 WRC from 2004 to 2005 in the World Rally Championship.

Competition history

Markko Märtin driving his 307 WRC at the 2005 Cyprus Rally.

The vehicle was plagued by transmission problems throughout its career, and the works team's drivers' driving styles did not suit the car's handling characteristics. In 2004, the car took seven podiums and a maiden win in Rally Finland, but it was not able to challenge for the championship as Marcus Grönholm finished fifth in the drivers' championship and Peugeot fourth in the manufacturers' championship.

The 2005 season was more successful, and Peugeot was a serious challenger for the manufacturers' championship, leading the championship after round 10, but the challenge faded after Markko Märtin's retirement from rallying following the death of Martin's co-driver Michael Park during the 2005 Wales Rally of Great Britain. Peugeot ultimately finished second in the manufacturers' championship, while Grönholm finished third in the drivers' championship, tied on points with second-placed Petter Solberg. Grönholm took victories at Rally Finland and Rally Japan along with six other podium finishes, while Märtin took four further podiums.

The car saw its factory supported competition life cut short at the end of 2005 by PSA's decision to withdraw the factory teams of both Citroën and Peugeot from top level rallying. A private undertaking by seasoned Peugeot preparatory firm Bozian Racing, dubbed OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally Team, largely assumed responsibility for the running of WRC specification 307s for the following season of 2006. Manfred Stohl and Henning Solberg were named as the driving personnel. Stohl impressively placed fourth in the overall drivers' standings, and the 307 WRC took seven podiums by privateer teams that season.

Overall, the car has three WRC victories and 26 podiums to its name, Marcus Grönholm having driven it to the top of the podium in the series at the Rally Finland in 2004 and 2005 as well as at the Rally Japan in 2005.

The 307 WRC will be remembered for the accident that befell WRC competitors Markko Märtin and Michael Park on September 18, 2005, which resulted in co-driver Park's death. On stage 15 of Wales Rally GB, Märtin lost control of his 307 WRC and collided with a tree, killing Park instantly. This was the first fatality in a WRC event since Rodger Freeth in 1993.

WRC victories

No.	Event	Season	Driver	Co-driver
1	2004 Rally Finland	Marcus Grönholm	Timo Rautiainen
2	2005 Rally Finland	Marcus Grönholm	Timo Rautiainen
3	2005 Rally Japan	Marcus Grönholm	Timo Rautiainen

WRC results

Year	Entrant	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	TC	Points
2004	Peugeot Sport	Marcus Grönholm	MON 4	SWE 2	MEX 6	NZL 2	CYP DSQ	GRC Ret	TUR 2	ARG Ret	FIN 1	GER Ret	JPN 4	GBR Ret	ITA 7	FRA 4	ESP 2	AUS Ret	4th	101
		Freddy Loix	MON 5	SWE Ret													ESP Ret
		Harri Rovanperä			MEX 10	NZL 5	CYP DSQ	GRC 3	TUR Ret	ARG 5	FIN Ret		JPN 6	GBR 6	ITA Ret			AUS 2
		Cédric Robert										GER 5				FRA Ret
		Freddy Loix			MEX	NZL	CYP	GRC	TUR	ARG	FIN	GER 6	JPN	GBR	ITA	FRA 7		AUS
		Sebastian Lindholm	MON	SWE	MEX	NZL	CYP	GRC	TUR	ARG	FIN Ret	GER	JPN	GBR	ITA	FRA	ESP	AUS
		Daniel Carlsson	MON	SWE	MEX	NZL	CYP	GRC	TUR	ARG	FIN	GER	JPN	GBR Ret	ITA	FRA	ESP	AUS
2005	Peugeot Sport	Marcus Grönholm	MON 5	SWE Ret	MEX 2	NZL 2	ITA 3	CYP Ret	TUR 3	GRC 4	ARG 2	FIN 1	GER 3	GBR Ret	JPN 1	FRA Ret	ESP Ret	AUS Ret	2nd	135
		Markko Märtin	MON 4	SWE 2	MEX 3	NZL 5	ITA 4	CYP 3	TUR 5	GRC 8	ARG 6	FIN 3	GER 4	GBR Ret
		Daniel Carlsson													JAP 8			AUS Ret
		Nicolas Bernardi														FRA 8	ESP 6
		Daniel Carlsson	MON	SWE 6	MEX	NZL	ITA	CYP	TUR	GRC	ARG	FIN	GER	GBR		FRA	ESP
		Sebastian Lindholm	MON	SWE	MEX	NZL	ITA	CYP	TUR	GRC	ARG	FIN Ret	GER	GBR	JAP	FRA	ESP	AUS