WM P88 Peugeot Group C1 Welter Racing #51 1988

[Furinkazen]

Group C cars were the fastest sportscars of all and at Le Mans with the Hunadaires straight (also known as Mulsanne) years before chicanes speeds of 200mph+ were easily attainable. However, french team Welter Racing had their eyes on a record. Le Mans may have been a race of endurance, but Welter wanted to go for pure speed and break the 400km/h barrier.

The P88 chassis was an evolution of the P87 and this chassis had a turbocharged V6 that delivered with boost an insane 910hp. Just by looking at the car you can tell it was meant for speed with its sleek, flawless lines and enclosed bodywork.

Whilst it had some somewhat predictable engine issues that would ultimately lead to the cars early retirement, it was officially recorded at 407km/h (253mph), a record that will likely never be broken at La Sarthe.

 

[StarLight]

Rare car ... voted! 👍

 

[SCER]

One of my favourite Le Mans cars of all time, purely due to the "🤬 it, the car's about to die so let's go 250mph+" attitude of the driver and team.

 

[StarLight]

Let's enrich this thread with more pictures.

 

[CORRUPTEDDISC]

Didn't the Mercedes Sauber C9 hit 254 the next year though?...

 

[JKgo]

Ohhhh, I remember reading about this car!! I love it. The team's brief was like: "Oh heck, they gone an' put 'em corners, so no more 400 kph shenanigans. Let's make record so none can surpass it next year!!"

To hell with fininshing! To hell with reliability! Who cares about winning anyway, when you can brag to your mates/pals/bored grandkids that you hold a speed record, on a track they can't pronounce, with a car no one can remember either!