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<body> <Table Width="550" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse" cellpadding="0"><TR><TD Width="35"><IMG SRC="//www.totalmotorsport.com/images/spacer.gif" WIDTH="35" HEIGHT="1"></td><td> <CENTER><Table border="0" width="100%"> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="5">BTCC</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2">14/01/2001</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="4">Peugeot</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><B><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="3">Testing Starts in February</FONT></B></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="center"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="1">  </FONT></TD></TR> <TR><TD width="100%" align="left"><FONT FACE="Tahoma" SIZE="2"> They had an ultra successful year in National Saloons with the 306 in 2000, but Peugeot opted to ‘go large’ with the new 406 Coupe, and the all new car will therefore be relatively late onto the tracks in 2001. It will be tested in mid-February at Vallelunga, almost a month later than Vauxhall’s first Astra test, at Albacete on January 18. <BR> <BR> The ABG Lexus is likely to be on the tracks a little later still, all a factor of the inevitably late announcement of the rules. It’s the same for everyone though, although Vauxhall effectively had a head start in the construction of their car.<BR> <BR> Peugeot’s Mick Linford is happy that larger will be better, so it will be the one size up cars from Lexus and Peugeot that are likely to be later up to speed, but both will possibly have something in hand once development really gets going. <BR> <BR> Neither the Lexus brand or Peugeot have a record of success in the BTCC (the Lexus name is all new to the scene, although parent company Toyota had considerable success with the Carina). A new Championship, and the completely new look throws things wide open.<BR> </FONT></TD></TR> </TABLE><BR> </CENTER> <BR><CENTER><font size="1" color="#808080" face="Tahoma">Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport</font></CENTER> </td> </tr> </table> </body>