Peugeot explains its departure from World RX

The withdrawal of Peugeot at the end of the 2018 season sparked strong reactions in the world of World RX. The World Championship of Rallycross sees its future being uncertain, this departure following that of Audi announced earlier in the season.

If the postponement of the implementation of electric Rallycross to 2021 counted in the balance, the director of the Peugeot brand Jean-Philippe Imparato confided to AUTOhebdo that the Sochaux builder had been influenced by other contexts.

“One of the arguments which pushed us to make this choice is, among others, the vote of the European Commission on October 3, which brings the admissible CO40/km emission threshold to -2% for a manufacturer from of 2030. In terms of size, the trajectory of reducing emissions is greater than twice the recommendations made by automobile manufacturers to this same Commission., admitted Jean-Philippe Imparato.

Peugeot nevertheless had a hard time with the postponement of electric use in Rallycross when the brand wanted to communicate from 2020 on its “clean” vehicles.

“This was our plan a year ago. Today, the E-WRX is postponed, we have to wait for the presence of three manufacturers, and then, and then, and then…”

Discover our file on Peugeot's withdrawal from World RX and the interview with Jean-Philippe Imparato in issue 2188 of AUTOhebdo, available now in digital version on all platforms, and on newsstands this Wednesday.