Paris Motor Show: Peugeot and Porsche

[dougiemeats]

Ladies and Gentlemen, meet your newest challengers...

Peugeot announced their plans to build and race a Le Mans Prototype several months ago. Today, Peugeot unveils the 908 LMP1.

• 
  [*]Information and technical specifications
• A first look
• More photos
• Even more photos

Porsche also unveils the 2007 RS Spyder, with many agressive changes. This will debut in the final round of the American Series at Laguna Seca.

• Story
• Pictures
• Pictures in DHL-yellow

 

[m.piedgros]

Yeah. I saw the new Spyder LM P2 on the ALMS website. Why no actual shots of the 908? Have they not actually debuted a car in the carbonfibre flesh? Le Mans 24 Hours '07 looks good, American Le Mans '07 looks good to. After reading about the 908 looks like we won't get it at Sebring. Fingers crossed for the odd appearance at the Petit Le Mans in its lifetime.

m.piedgros

 

[dougiemeats]

Yeah. I saw the new Spyder LM P2 on the ALMS website. Why no actual shots of the 908? Have they not actually debuted a car in the carbonfibre flesh? Le Mans 24 Hours '07 looks good, American Le Mans '07 looks good to. After reading about the 908 looks like we won't get it at Sebring. Fingers crossed for the odd appearance at the Petit Le Mans in its lifetime.

m.piedgros

Good luck to the engineers working on this project. They're going to have to be creative when designing a door for this car!

Driver changes during pitstops are going to be interesting, that's for sure.

 

[L8 Apex]

After reading about the 908 looks like we won't get it at Sebring. Fingers crossed for the odd appearance at the Petit Le Mans in its lifetime.

m.piedgros

It'd be kinda weird if they brought over their race car when they quit sending us their road cars about a decade and a half ago...
Personally, I'd try to run it at Sebring anyway, because even though the race is half as long, the track is at least twice as demanding.
Two questions about the 908, though: Where are they gonna put the doors and, more importantly, will those Xbox360 logos keep it out of GT5?

 

[m.piedgros]

They just wouldn't be able to run Sebring. The ACO has happened to back into a round one too close to the 12 Hour. Unfortunate... and stupid (see my universal Le Mans concept.)

m.piedgros

 

[RACECAR]

2007 looks awesome, period.

 

[dougiemeats]

They just wouldn't be able to run Sebring. The ACO has happened to back into a round one too close to the 12 Hour. Unfortunate... and stupid (see my universal Le Mans concept.)

m.piedgros

Could you elaborate? From what I've been reading, they should still be on course for a Sebring debut. What do you believe is stopping them from doing so?

(Besides the fact that the driver can't actually get in the car yet... but I'm sure they'll figure something out. )

 

[YIN]

both car looks really good,looks much better than r10(imo)
the front headlight looks like a ture porsche!!!👍

 

[dougiemeats]

Here's my intial reaction to the design. To the left is the Peugeot 908 LMP1. To the right is the Caparo T1. Besides this angle, they really look nothing alike, but my first thought was to compare the two after seeing the Peugeot for the first time.

 

[m.piedgros]

Peugot claim they will be running the entire LMS (4-5 races, not confirmed yet) schedule. Unfortunately, as it looks now Round 1 of the 2007 LMS schedule will be put to close to the Sebring 12 Hour and therefore it would be a heck of a challenge to get a team to Sebring, unless they have two teams (doubt it).

m.piedgros

 

[dougiemeats]

Thanks for the clarification, m.piedgros.

I wish the actual race car will look as good as these computer renders. I don't expect it to though. Everything looks too smooth for an actual race car. Just compare it to the picture of the Porsche below it. Air ducts, winglets, and various other aerodynamic components are sure to make their way on the car by the time it's race-ready.

 

[YIN]

i think both car has potenail to beat audi:tup:

 

[m.piedgros]

Well the first/test generation of the LM P2 Spyder has beaten AN Audi, the R8. Not to mention it challenges every round, especially at Sebring when they were both being sorted out.

m.piedgros

 

[Mt. Lynx]

Pictures of the 908!

 

[m.piedgros]

I don't understand how everyone could be going ga-ga over the 908 when a much prettier Porsche prototype with its race trim on is sitting just below. I'm going there and saying that the Porsche looks 9000000 (9 million) times better.

m.piedgros

 

[Mt. Lynx]

I don't understand how everyone could be going ga-ga over the 908 when a much prettier Porsche prototype with its race trim on is sitting just below. I'm going there and saying that the Porsche looks 9000000 (9 million) times better.

m.piedgros

Sorry, but I just can´t agree with you! There is something about closed top LM racers that is just 👍 ...you get the point!

The porsche is however the best looking LMP2 car yet, allthough I find the upcoming Acura to be really sweet too, and not to mention the latest Radical!

For LMP1 though, or open top racers for that matter, there is no beating the Pescarolo hybrid of this year.

 

[dougiemeats]

The porsche is however the best looking LMP2 car yet, allthough I find the upcoming Acura to be really sweet too, and not to mention the latest Radical!

Only the engine is Acura, the chassis is either a Lola or a Courage. But I'm assuming you're talking about the Courage - it's one good-looking car.

 

[Mt. Lynx]

Yes! A picture, just for fun!

Beautiful!

 

[JohnBM01]

The Porsche RS Spyder in this picture is lovely. I know the car has a yellow scheme with red accents, but I'd like to imagine a beautiful blend of royal blue and white. It's an exceptionally-designed car. Sure love to see and listen to the car race. I have no comments on the Peugeot right now. I'll have some later.

 

[YIN]

i'm wondering how much improvement between the old and the new rs spyder

 

[dougiemeats]

i'm wondering how much improvement between the old and the new rs spyder

I'm wondering that too. However, speed was never really an issue. At times, they could even keep up with the [weight-penalized] Audi R10s!

What they really needed to work on (and I'm sure they did) was the RS Spyder's reliability. The 2006-spec RS Spyder dominated the Laguna Seca race last year, let's see if the 2007-spec can do the same this year.

 

[YIN]

I'm wondering that too. However, speed was never really an issue. At times, they could even keep up with the [weight-penalized] Audi R10s!

What they really needed to work on (and I'm sure they did) was the RS Spyder's reliability. The 2006-spec RS Spyder dominated the Laguna Seca race last year, let's see if the 2007-spec can do the same this year.

it remain me last year kimi and mclaren and toyota ts020,no matter how fast you are,you should at least have good reliability.
but when i look at the car,the car have some very advance and some weird looking aerodynamics,new suspension,more engine power,better reliability(should be)
it's unlike porsche,because they won at lemans more than anyone else,why they built the lmp2??????i think that might because audi and peugeot built a pretty good diesel..........

 

[dougiemeats]

it's unlike porsche,because they won at lemans more than anyone else,why they built the lmp2??????

Probably for the same reasons they run GT2 instead of GT1. They have an excellent customer program in the production-based class, and now they are looking to expand that into the prototype class. They have found success with the customers and they will concentrate on this strength.

I still think that they will build an LMP1 someday, but for now, they are content with their successful customer programs in both classes.

 

[YIN]

I still think that they will build an LMP1 someday, but for now, they are content with their successful customer programs in both classes.

but that's hard to go against diesel with good fuel economy,you can see how poor pescarolo is,they have the same speed as audi(may be faster)but lost out by fuel economy.........

 

[Law93]

i really like the 908. i say that thing is for sure going to take audi out!!!

 

[YIN]

i really like the 908. i say that thing is for sure going to take audi out!!!

i like both 908 and rs spyder,imo the r10 or r8 just copy something good from others,i don't think audi is technology advance,they just spend some big money to built the car make sure is the fastest on the grid,for me the r10 just like the bigger r8 with diff engine and suspension,i think audi should be the biggest spender ever in le mans.
i agree you,i'm happy that either porsche or peugeot beat out audi:tup:

 

[m.piedgros]

i'm wondering how much improvement between the old and the new rs spyder

Remember the Audi R8R? Remember the R8. There will be plenty of improvement.

m.piedgros

 

[m.piedgros]

but that's hard to go against diesel with good fuel economy,you can see how poor pescarolo is,they have the same speed as audi(may be faster)but lost out by fuel economy.........

The original Porsche RS Spyder was designed and built while Audi were still kicking around the idea of a Diesel LMP. Porsche saw an opening in a class that was set to grow in America and was already well established in Europe. Porsche run in GT2 because they have the perfect car for the class (it is the mule car for homologation in FIA and ACO circles.) They saw the same opportunity (to become a benchmark) in LM P2 and jumped at the opportunity.

Even if that wasn't the case; the close relationship Porsche have with Audi-Volkswagen they would feel no reason to race their "second cousins" we'll say. Certainly not in the same class. They would have done the same thing they did in reality, that is to say, make a P2 effort. (Still hoping to stick it to their distant relatives in Audi and Uncle Volkswagen.)

m.piedgros

EDIT: The biggest spenders at Le Mans ended up being in the Group C days. Just as GTP did in America Group C cars started getting into the millions of dollars price range. Substantially more money was spent, certainly when converted into today's currencies and maybe even without doing the conversion.

 

[YIN]

The original Porsche RS Spyder was designed and built while Audi were still kicking around the idea of a Diesel LMP. Porsche saw an opening in a class that was set to grow in America and was already well established in Europe. Porsche run in GT2 because they have the perfect car for the class (it is the mule car for homologation in FIA and ACO circles.) They saw the same opportunity (to become a benchmark) in LM P2 and jumped at the opportunity.

Even if that wasn't the case; the close relationship Porsche have with Audi-Volkswagen they would feel no reason to race their "second cousins" we'll say. Certainly not in the same class. They would have done the same thing they did in reality, that is to say, make a P2 effort. (Still hoping to stick it to their distant relatives in Audi and Uncle Volkswagen.)

m.piedgros

EDIT: The biggest spenders at Le Mans ended up being in the Group C days. Just as GTP did in America Group C cars started getting into the millions of dollars price range. Substantially more money was spent, certainly when converted into today's currencies and maybe even without doing the conversion.

read this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_R10

 

[m.piedgros]

All that said was it was the most expensive Audi project in history. In the Group C era the teams were bigger and those teams were branched off into "factory supported privateer efforts." Costs for developing and running those cars were far greater, trust me.

m.piedgros