Peugeot 908

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Peugeot 908

A Peugeot 908 on display at the Frankfurt Auto Show

The Peugeot 908 HDi FAP is a sports prototype racing car built by the French automobile manufacturer Peugeot to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race, starting in 2007.^[1] This effort, in development since 2005, was publicly unveiled on 15 June 2006. It competes with the Audi R10 TDI, being the second diesel engined sportscar from a major manufacturer. This was Peugeot's first Le Mans effort since the end of the Peugeot 905 project in 1993.

The 908 name is also shared with a Peugeot concept saloon/sedan, named the 908RC, which shares the diesel V12 engine from the 908 sportscar.

The Peugeot 908 is not to be confused with another sportscar of the same number that successfully raced from 1968 to 1981, the Porsche 908.

1 Design
- 1.1 Chassis
- 1.2 Drivetrain
2 Planning
3 Racing history
4 Peugeot 908 RC
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Design

[edit] Chassis

In preparation for new rules released by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest (ACO) on 16 June 2006, which would require all LMP1 cars to be closed cockpits by 2010, Peugeot unveiled the 908 with a closed cockpit, the first Le Mans Prototype (LMP) since the Bentley Speed 8 to race with such a design. Peugeot's choice to use a closed cockpit was likely intended to allow easier compliance with the 2010 rules, as well as allowing Peugeot to run a larger air restrictor due to the closed cockpit design mandating the use of air conditioning.^[2]

An early 908 design model shown in 2006

Peugeot also felt that weight, centre of gravity, and operational drawbacks were able to be overcome by better chassis rigidity and aerodynamics with using a closed cockpit design. The cockpit uses a unique 2 part door system with the upper part of the door (the window) swinging forward and out with a hinged plate (part of the sidepod) forming the lower part of the door that can be either swung out or removed completely, this was reportedly done to allow the car to conform to current regulations regarding door size. The body is a carbon fibre monocoque instead of a conventional open structure to offer better rigidity and lower weight.^[3] Front and rear suspension are linked, steering is electrically powered, magnesium wheels come from BBS. The car measures 4.65 m (183 in) × 2 m (79 in) and weighs 925 kg (2039 lb) minimum.

Peugeot announced they would build the 908 chassis themselves, instead of relying on another manufacturer to build it for them. The decision by Peugeot to build the chassis themselves has left Henri Pescarolo, who was looking for involvement in the Peugeot project, feeling that his future at Le Mans will be in doubt. The Pescarolo Sport team had been strapped for cash since Peugeot initially dropped their engine program in 2003, and Pescarolo was looking to possibly run the factory squad, similar to the way Reinhold Joest runs the factory Audi effort.

[edit] Drivetrain

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The 908's 5.5 litre twin-turbocharged diesel V12. One of the FAP particulate filters is on the right.

The Peugeot 908 is powered by a 5.5-litre HDi diesel engine, the maximum size allowed by Le Mans Prototype rules. Its configuration is a 100° V12, the angle having been chosen to lower the center of gravity. Its output has been revealed to be over 515 kW (700 PS) and 1200 N·m (885 ft·lbf) of torque, nearly 10% more than Audi's victorious R10 TDI.^[4] In a recent interview in the Italian magazine Autosprint, Peugeot declared they've not reached 700 hp (520 kW), but are rather at 675 hp (503 kW). They will develop the engine to obtain more than 700 hp (520 kW), their declared aim.

The use of the diesel particulate filter is one of over a million particulate filters that have been used on Peugeot vehicles since the introduction of the 2.7 L HDi V6 in the Peugeot 607. 60% of the cars sold by Peugeot in Europe are diesels, and even 70% in France.

Technical partners in the development of the 908 include Bosch, who will cover engine management systems and fuel injection components, Total, who will provide fuel (actually Shell racing diesel as required by ACO rules) and oil, and Michelin, the official tyre supplier. The electro-pneumatic controlled gearbox, designed and built by Ricardo^[5], is longitudinal with a maximum of 6 gear ratios, and the differential is self-locking.

[edit] Planning

On 28 September Peugeot unveiled a model of the 908 at the Mondial de l'Automobile Paris Auto Show. The V12 HDi will be started for the first time in a bench test on 30 September, while the actual first chassis will start test driving in December with Eric Hélary in preparation for a 2-car effort at Le Mans along with participation in the full 2007 Le Mans Series season. The team will be sponsored by XBox 360, Total, and tyre supplier Michelin.

On January 10 at the 908's first public test at the Paul Ricard HTTT, Peugeot confirmed that the drivers of the 908 will be Stéphane Sarrazin, Nicolas Minassian, Marc Gené, and Pedro Lamy for the Le Mans Series, while Jacques Villeneuve and Sébastien Bourdais would be added for the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

[edit] Racing history

The #7 Peugeot 908 being driven by Jacques Villeneuve at the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans test session.

The Peugeot 908 made its race debut at the opening round of the 2007 Le Mans Series season, the 1000km of Monza. The twin 908s were very quick in qualifying, managing to take the top two spots by over a second from the nearest competitor. During the race the Peugeot lead nearly the entire race, although the #8 car of Lamy and Sarrazin suffered numerous difficulties with its doors, leaving them to finish third. However the #7 908 of Gené and Minassian held on to take victory in the 908's debut. At the next round at Valencia, it would be the #8 Peugeot's turn to take the win, while the #7 car suffered late difficulties and did not finish.

On the 3rd of June 2007, Peugeot managed to best the Audi R10 TDI diesel, setting a Le Mans test day lap time of 3:26.707. This was followed by Peugeot earning pole position on Le Mans qualifying with a 3:26.344 set by Stéphane Sarrazin, again beating Audi - although it is believed Audi did not go as fast as they could, unlike Peugeot (in the race, where the cars were faced directly for the first time, the Audi R10's were obviously faster than the Peugeots on the straights and much more stable and less forcing on the corners). In the race itself the #8 Peugeot managed to finish second to the Audi R10 after covering 359 laps. The #7 Peugeot sister car had to withdraw from the race in the final hour due to engine failure.^[6] When the stricken car reached the pits for the second time, Peugeot mechanics made no effort to resolve its problems and simply withdrew it from the race.

Following the break for Le Mans, the Peugeots returned to the Le Mans Series. Peugeot #8 would take two straight victories at Nürburgring and Spa before the #7 908 took the last two wins of the season at Silverstone and Interlagos. Winning three races andfinishing in five out of six, 908 #8 won the LMP1 teams' championship, while the #7 car would suffer some reliability issues and would settle for third in the championship, behind Pescarolo Sport.

For 2008, Peugeot expanded their 908 program to include the 12 Hours of Sebring. Although the sole 908 led early, mechanical problems dropped the car from contention. However, the 908 completed the event, serving in preparation for a return to Le Mans. Back in the Le Mans Series, the two team 908s now had to face newcomer Audi, as they too entered two R10 diesels. The 908 however opened the season with a victory in Catalunya, marking the first time a 908 has beaten an R10, as well as winning the Spa 1,000 km. For Le Mans they are running 3 cars, and at Spa and for Le Mans for two of the cars have added former F1 drivers Jacques Villeneuve to partner Gene and Minassian in the no 7 car and Austrian Alexander Wurz in the no 8 car with Sarrazin and Lamy.

[edit] Peugeot 908 RC

The 908 RC is a luxury four-door limousine concept car equipped with the 5.5L V12 HDi diesel from the 908 sportscar installed centrally and transversally.^[7] The car is seen as a preview of the design for the upcoming Peugeot 608 luxury sedan.