Photo : D.R. - Peugeot Sport

Peugeot Sport is poised to embark on a busy motorsport programme in both circuit racing. The overall objective is to secure further titles and individual event wins, while Team Peugeot Total’s endurance racing programme will be spearheaded by a brand new car. Once again, the Le Mans 24 Hours stands out as the highlight of the squad’s 2011 calendar.

Objectifs 2011

Meanwhile, Peugeot Sport’s energy will focus chiefly on its official endurance racing programme. After a strong season in 2011, which saw it claim the inaugural Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (ILMC) title, Peugeot Sport will be looking to defend its crown, although the highlight of its season will again be the Le Mans 24 Hours (June 11-12). The calendar of this year’s ILMC features seven races, including Le Mans which will count for double points. This year’s visit to La Sarthe is especially eagerly awaited inasmuch as it will be the first since recent changes to the technical regulations gave rise to a new generation of cars.

From the 90X to 908

The 908 HDi FAP helped Peugeot build up an enviable record of world class successes, including the title in the 2007 Le Mans Series, a one-two finish at Le Mans in 2009 and the inaugural ILMC crown in 2010. "We have chosen 908 as the name of the new car in order to build on the wave of success with which it is associated," says Peugeot’s Director of Marketing and Communications, Xavier Peugeot.

"At the same time, this car fits perfectly with the brand’s modern calling. It mirrors the modernity that is dialled into the 408, which is in the process of being launched in Latin America, the 508, which is beginning to arrive in the dealerships, and the new 308, about which we will be going into a little further detail over the coming days. It also echoes the modernity expressed by our first ever diesel hybrid model, the 3008 HYbrid4. At Peugeot, we have always sought to associate our commitment to motorsport with the real world and with our model range. The name 908 consequently stood out as the obvious choice.“ Following in the wake of the 905 and the 908 HDi FAP, the 908 is the third car to have been developed by Peugeot Sport for endurance racing. And, like its forebears, its mission will be to extend Peugeot’s winning record at Le Mans which already features three wins, in 1992, 1993 and 2009. The 908 complies with the latest technical regulations and notably features a so-called shark’s fin engine-cover appendix. It is a closed-cockpit car, with four identical wheels, and is powered by a 550-horsepower, 3.7-litre V8 HDi FAP diesel engine. It means Peugeot Sport will be competing in endurance racing for the fifth year running with a diesel engine equipped with a particulate filter (FAP/Filtre à Particules). Since 1998, more than seven million HDi engines have been sold worldwide, helping Peugeot to earn a reputation as one of the biggest players in the realm of clean diesel power.

The 908 packs the same technologies as those employed for Peugeot’s road cars, while there has been close collaboration between the group’s engineers and specialists and their counterparts at Peugeot Sport to ensure that expertise in domains like fuel efficiency, respect for the environment and performance is shared between road cars and motorsport.

From press release of Peugeot Sport