Sebastien Loeb test drives the 208 T16 Pikes Peak climber

When Sebastien Loeb's helicopter landed alongside the high-security track at La Ferte-Vidame, in northwestern France, the rally star believed he was in for a routine test session. After just a handful of laps in the car, he realised that this was something different.

 "I have driven many types of car in my career, but this is very, very different. Its acceleration performance and stopping power are more like those of a Formula 1 single seater than a rally car. Its handling is fantastic as well. There's so much grip, and the all-wheel drive transmission makes it very stable. It's got huge potential," commented Sebastien Loeb.