Nick started competing in a Peugeot 106 Rallye at 19 years old, in the Top Half Series. He then progressed to a Peugeot 106 S16 and drove in Australia and in the New Caledonian National Championship. On returning from New Caledonia the car caught fire in Maramarua Forest and was destroyed. The team built a replica Peugeot 106 Maxi and competed in the New Zealand Rally Championship. It was then that Nick changed his focus from driving, into locating rare and unique cars. His dream rally car was the Peugeot 206 WRC – driven by his hero Marcus Gronholm.
Nick Marshall - 1999 Peugeot 206 WRC
Nick started competing in a Peugeot 106 Rallye at 19 years old, in the Top Half Series. He then progressed to a Peugeot 106 S16 and drove in Australia and in the New Caledonian National Championship. On returning from New Caledonia the car caught fire in Maramarua Forest and was destroyed. The team built a replica Peugeot 106 Maxi and competed in the New Zealand Rally Championship. It was then that Nick changed his focus from driving, into locating rare and unique cars. His dream rally car was the Peugeot 206 WRC – driven by his hero Marcus Gronholm.
1999 Peugeot 206 WRC:
One of the most successful cars in World Rally Championship, Peugeot won the Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ Championships three years consecutively with the 206 WRC. Nick located this 206 WRC body shell in Ireland 15 years ago. The car was then transported to New Zealand, where the shell underwent a full recondition. Over the next few years Nick found a team in Italy looking to sell many parts, including a full dashboard, steering rack, anti-roll bars, intercooler, fuel tank, and engine. The engine came with an intake manifold, exhaust manifold and turbo. All it needed now was an X-trac gearbox to complete the major components. To keep the car 100% original, Nick found out Vaison Sport was servicing the 206 WRC cars in the French Championship and the company provided the remainder of the smaller components. All the wiring and ECU was abandoned in favour of a lightweight wiring harness with a Motec ECU, PDM and dash. This Peugeot was driven by Marcus Gronholm and Gillies Panizzi in the WRC.