Full press release with drivers, tech specs, etc (PDF format)

partia press release (HTLM format)l

The Peugeot 908 is the first car manufacturer-developed, non-VW owned, LMP1 since the 1999-2002 Panoz LMP-1 Roadster S.

The body has changed slightly from the one shown last September.

Paolo Catone is the chief designer of the 908. He worked with the Peugeot 905 that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1992 and 1993 (but there were just 28 cars that started in 1992).

Two 908s will run the full 2007 Le Mans Series, but it will test at Sebring the week after the Twelve Hours of Sebring. Peugeot has built the 908's chassis themselves (Audi has Dallara build the R10's chassis).

The official name of the new 908 is the 908 V12 HDi DPFS. HDi DPFS meaning a diesel engine equipped with a diesel particulate filter system.

http://www.lmes.net/2007/uk/index.asp

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/ga...08/01%20Debut/

http://www.speedarena.com/gallery/ga.../02%20Testing/

http://www.endurance-info.com/article.php?sid=3030

http://www.endurance-info.com/article.php?sid=3039

pictures with inscription

Videos:

Videos from Paul Richard Circuit in southern France

Video #1

Video #2

Lots of talk and introductions in French - on track at the end
Video #3

long testing video

908 from last September

 

Thanks for the info.

Does anyone know if the Audi R10 has already been converted to a closed cockpit configuration as well?

 

Thanks!

Interesting that they chose a closed cockpit. Too bad they have JV as one of their drivers. Audi's driver line up is the one to beat.

 

That looks fantastic... I hope they win LeMans with JV on the helm

 

Wow I like the looks and am glad to see a return to enclosed cockpit design.

 

But how much can it tow?

 

It looks like the doors are integrated into the side pod. How does it pass the template test for the cockpit? They need to be able to pass the template thru the door vertically. Don't see how that will happen. Anyone?

Notice the Bentely had the door open from the sidepod :

The Peugeot lmp1 does not:

 

Motor pics:

 

Well, seeing that one of the sponsors is XBox 360, I guess it is a safe bet to say the car will be in the forthcoming Forza Motorsports 2! So, we can all "drive" one in a few months...

 

L8Apex, nice catch! See Mike Fuller's site for his comments on this. It seems to be a "to the letter of the rules" vs. a "to the spirit of the rules" interpretation.

http://www.mulsannescorner.com/news.html

 

As Eric noted, they just signed Jacques Villeneuve to join an all-star driving crew (Bourdais/Gene/Sarrazin/Lamy/Misassian ). This is a great squad, but why didn't they invite back Mark Blundell, who co-drove to the 1992 win?

And someone remind me - didn't JV totally trash the 24 Hours when he still had an F1 driving career?

I also thought it interesting that they didn't go back to Andre de Cortanze, designer of the successful 905 for Peugeot and also the Toyota GT One, which nearly won the race in 1999. Does Pescarolo have him locked up?

Regards to all.

 

JV never had a problem trashing anyone, organization, car, etc. except for himself.

The Peugeot is a very fast looking car, and I have to admit that I like the looks of closed cockpit racers versus the current open cockpit designs. I wonder how the current rules read regarding driver cooling? Are air conditioners in or out?

 

Peugeot is a French manufacturer, rules will be bent, those are the Le Mans house rules.

Yes, aircon is compulsory, A little bird tells me that it will get hot in that car without it.

R+C

 

I still wanna know how much this diesel will tow...

 

Many suspect the current rules regarding diesels were developed with Peugeot in mind (the rules so obviously favor diesel power) and that Audi stole Peugeot's thunder when the Germans were first to commit to and win with diesel power.

"Selective application" of the rules is hardly limited to French manufacturers, even though it certainly doesn't hurt to be French. In the mid-'90s days of GT1, Toyota appeared with their GT-One. One of the regs required a luggage compartment of a certain dimension, since, ostensibly (or laughingly), GT1 cars had their roots in road car production. When Toyota presented their GT-One to the ACO, the ACO official asked to see the luggage compartment. The Toyota engineer popped open the door...

ACO Official (paraphrased): "That's not a luggage compartment. It's a fuel cell."

Toyota Engineer (paraphrased): "We put the fuel cell *in* the luggage compartment."

Ultimately, Toyota's interpretation of the rules was accepted.

Enter Nissan with the R390. Theirs was a similar situation, but Nissan chose to use the luggage compartment to hold the transmission coolers. Nissan's interpretation of the rules was denied, and they were forced into a last-minute, untested redesign for the race.