In 1949, Darl'Mat proposed a more muscular version of the new Peugeot 203, thus inaugurating the concept of a French-style sports saloon that would make the 205 GTI a success three decades later.
This was not the Parisian tuner's first experience with models produced by the Sochaux-based manufacturer. Already before the war, a Peugeot 302 Darl'Mat Sport had set several records at Montlhéry in 1937 and the following year, Charles de Cortanze and Marcel Contet had won the 2-litre category at the 24 Hours of Le Mans at the wheel of a Peugeot 402 prepared by Darl'Mat.
In the aftermath of the Second World War, most French manufacturers presented new economical and popular models: Renault had its 4CV, Citroën its 2CV, Panhard its Dyna and Simca its Série 8. Peugeot was not to be outdone with its new 203 family saloon presented at the Paris Salon in October 1948. This robust and comfortable model, as the reputation of the cars from Sochaux demands, is far from the characteristics of a sports car. Nevertheless, Émile Darl'Mat chose it as his next racing car, adding a few more horsepower to the engine and modifying the bodywork to make it more aerodynamic.