Peugeot 908HY (2008)

Peugeot Sport profited from the final round of the 2008 Le Mans Series at Silverstone to unveil a Peugeot 908 HDi FAP equipped with a hybrid power plant, featuring a kinetic energy recovery system. The Peugeot 908HY was presented in a new, specific silver-grey livery and will provide a foretaste of what Peugeot's next endurance racing challenger could resemble, although its use will depend on the regulations that will govern LMP 1 cars from 2009. The Peugeot 908HY's technology enables a proportion of the kinetic energy produced under braking to be either recovered or stored. In the case of a non-hybrid car, this energy is lost and simply dissipated in the form of heat via the brakes. However, when harnessed, it enables the vehicle's efficiency to be improved in one of two ways: Enhanced performance with no increase in the amount of energy consumed, thanks to the combination of the stored mechanical energy and the energy produced by the internal combustion engine Reduced fuel consumption for the same level of performance, thanks to the availability of stored mechanical energy The system featured on this demonstrator comprises three key elements: A 60 kW gear-driven electric motor-generator which takes the place of the conventional starter motor Batteries which permit recovered energy to be stored in 600 lithium-ion cells divided into 10 battery packs (six in the cockpit instead of the conventional battery and four on the left-hand side of the floor pan) An electronic power converter (located in the rear part of the front left wing) which controls the flow of energy between the batteries and the motor-generator The Peugeot 908HY can be powered in one of three ways: Electric mode only (e.g. in the pit-lane) Internal combustion engine only A combination of the two In the course of a lap of Le Mans, for example, the system will recuperate energy for between 20 and 30 seconds. This energy reserve can be used for either delivering extra power thanks to an additional boost of 60 kW (80 bhp) for approximately 20 seconds per lap, either automatically when re-accelerating or when the driver chooses to make use of it ('push to pass') or to reduce fuel consumption for the equivalent level of performance thanks to the mechanical energy recovered (between three and five per cent) Michel Barge (Peugeot Sport, Director): "This hybrid Peugeot 908HY is in perfect keeping with the overall mission of our endurance racing programme which covers not only the challenge of competing, of course, but also the fact that as a car manufacturer we can use motor sport as a research and development tool for the Peugeot brand as a whole. After innovating through the use of our HDi FAP technology in competition, running a hybrid car in endurance racing would give Peugeot a chance to gain extremely valuable experience that would benefit the development of production cars. Whether we use this technology or not in 2009 will obviously depend on the details of the new regulations published by the Automobile Club de l'Ouest."

 

Peugeot RC Concept (2008)

The "RC...", which its full name will be revealed at the Paris Motor Show, is a concept car born from the passion and expertise of Peugeot's stylists and engineers. This "GT" coupe is the missing link between the Peugeot RC concept cars revealed in 2002 and the Peugeot 908 RC, one of the stars of the 2006 Paris Motor Show. It is a real laboratory of future ideas, bringing together numerous stylistic, engineering and technological ideas in a single vehicle. The "RC..." is an accessible and versatile car, with four doors, four seats and a highly innovative hybrid architecture. Its aim: a very high level of efficiency both in terms of performance (with its potential 230 kW/313 bhp) and minimal impact on the environment (CO2 emissions of 109 g/km in the combined cycle or ZERO in electric mode). It is an exciting, eco-efficient vehicle which has all the characteristics that together create a real passion for driving. A synthesis of ideas that demonstrate Peugeot, more than ever, is capable of combining respect for the environment with driving pleasure.

 

Peugeot 308 RCZ

Peugeot wouldn’t thank us for saying it, but we think this looks a bit like a French version of the Audi TT. But that’s not meant to be negative — there’s enough space on the road for both. And in some ways, the 308 RCZ — at least in concept form — is actually nicer. That long tail even makes room for two small rear seats. Innovative use of materials including aluminum and polycarbonate allow plenty of design flourishes and, with a fully worked up interior and drivetrain based on the 308, this looks like a serious proposal.

Peugeot 907 Photos

Original post by Audrey 286 Original post by seckinturk Original post by HotDaveSweet Original post by k!rsej

 

2009 Peugeot 107 Facelift Revealed

Following in the footsteps of the near-identical Citroen C1, Peugeot announced that it too is refreshing its 107 city car for 2009 with a new face, a slightly revised petrol engine and an upgraded interior. Changes to the 107's exterior include a restyled front bumper with braces chrome detailing and a new wheel trim design. The interior of the French city car has been upgraded and includes new upholstery materials which complement new exterior colors in the range.

The 2009 model also benefits from a cleaner and more fuel efficient version of the 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder petrol engine which Peugeot supports, returns a combined-cycle fuel consumption figure of 62.8mpg UK (4.5 lt/100 km 52.3mpg US), an improvement of 2% over the previous model. The petrol engine's CO2 emissions are also reduced to 106g/km from 109g/km.

The new 107 will be in Peugeot showrooms in most European counties by January 2009 with full specification details and pricing to be issued in due course.

Maserati GranTurismo

The GranTurismo is a car you can buy with your head as well as your heart.

Driving
The Maserati’s 4.2-litre V8 engine, built by Ferrari, is a cracker. Eager, hungry for revs and tuneful, it’s magic when used hard. There’s always a bit of delicious background engine and exhaust noise. It’s fast, too, despite the hefty 1,800kg kerbweight – 0-100mph takes a mere 11.9 seconds! However, it’s more frustrating in daily use, because of a marked lack of mid-range pull, while the automatic gearbox’s reluctance to give you full control is frustrating. It is, however, a capable driver’s car. It’s not as polished as, say, a Jaguar XKR, but we think its flaws add character. The dampers feel fidgety and it can lose composure on bumpy roads – but, once you’ve got used to the sharp, light steering and alert chassis, it’s huge fun, with lots of feedback.

Marketplace
Maserati is one of the most glamorous and evocative automotive brands of all time – and the GranTurismo is more stylish than any German rival. It has exuberance, flair and a real sense of drama and passion. It’s a huge car, mind, with a long wheelbase, though there are some advantages to this. There’s just the single engine, gearbox and trim line at the moment, with a very extensive (and expensive) range of bespoke options available. Rivals to the two-door coupe include the Jaguar XKR, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, BMW M6, Mercedes SL and, of course, the Porsche 911.

Owning
The Maserati may have a small boot, but inside, there’s a real surprise. The long wheelbase provides enough space for a pair of rear seats as roomy as a family hatchback! They even have ISOFIX mountings for child seats. But it’s up front where the real excitement lies. The rich, tactile materials, shapely steering wheel and chrome-ringed buttons look superb. And while ergonomics are not perfect, they’re leagues ahead of Maseraris of old. Shame the unintuitive sat nav is lifted straight from a Peugeot, though. There is also a little more wind and road noise than you’d expect. And as for running costs, prepare for a shock. There are only 16 dealers in the UK, and three visits will cost you £3,999! The 25,000-mile service alone will cost £1,757. Luckily, tall gearing means everyday economy won’t be disastrous, while exceptional retained values should mean you won’t lose out when you come to sell

Peugeot’s TT...!!!!

French company Peugeot this week revealed it will put its 308 RC Z coupé into production. The Audi TT rival is based on the same platform as the 308 hatch, but has a wider track. The showroom version will retain the twin bubbles on the carbon fibre top and the curvy rear screen seen on the concept. It will also keep the clamshell bonnet and milled aluminium hoops which support the roof.

Under the bonnet, the RC Z will be powered by the same 1.6-litre turbo engine as the MINI Cooper S – that means an output of around 170bhp. It will also be offered with a less pow-er-ful normally aspirated 1.6-litre unit. Top brass at Peugeot are hoping that introducing the 308 RC Z will help improve the firm’s image among young buyers, just as the 205 GTi did in the early Eighties.
The coupé concept was seen for the first time at last autumn’s Frankfurt Motor Show. A roadgoing model is likely to be unveiled at the same event next year, with an on-sale date in the UK of summer 2010. Prices are expected to start at around £17,500 – putting the Peugeot head-to-head with Volkswagen’s all-new Scirocco

2009 Peugeot 908 HDi FAP

Peugeot Sport has just introduced their top of the line 908 HDi FAP equipped with a hybrid power plant at the final round of the 2008 Le Mans Series at Silverstone. They has profited in their earnings from the final round of the 2008 Le Mans Series at Silverstone to unveil a 908 HDi FAP equipped with a hybrid power plant, featuring a kinetic energy recovery system.

Michel Barge (Peugeot Sport, Director):”This hybrid 908 HDi FAP is in perfect keeping with the overall mission of our endurance racing programmer which covers not only the challenge of competing, of course, but also the fact that as a car manufacturer we can use motor sport as a research and development tool for the Peugeot brand as a whole.

After innovating through the use of our HDi FAP technology in competition, running a hybrid car in endurance racing would give Peugeot a chance to gain extremely valuable experience that would benefit the development of production cars. Whether we use this technology or not in 2009 will obviously depend on the details of the new regulations published by the Automobile Club de l”Ouest.”

2009 Porsche Boxster and Cayman Facelift Pictures Leaked?

If we are to believe a report from the Dutch car site 'Autoweek', these are the first official photos of the facelifted Porsche Boxster and Cayman models, both of which are due to be unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November according to Carscoop's sources. The site claims that these pictures were sent to them by an anonymous reader who accidentally happened to stumbled upon them on Porsche's online car configurator. -Continued

Needless to say, we immediately went ahead and checked out several Porsche sites -even though the configurator seems to be the same everywhere- but we did not find anything of the sort.

We did however configure a Boxster adding the same rear diffuser and front spoiler lip as well as the different alloys. We also download the pictures so you can see the similarities for yourself -see below. The only differences between the allegedly official Boxster and Cayman facelift models with their current siblings are the egg-shaped headlights (we thought Porsche was done with those...), the dual exhaust pipes, the sharpet looking LED lights on the front bumper and the slightly different tail lamps.

Are the images the real deal or the work of a cunning photoshop artist? We'll leave that for you to decide.

Peugeot 408 Rendered - In a Kizashi Sort Of Way...

Even though the current Peugeot 407 isn't due for replacement until 2010, French car magazine L'Auto Journal has come up with a new set of renderings of the mid-size model's successor that will almost certainly be called 408. We must admit that, rabbit-tooth grille aside, the 408 shown in these scans looks pretty sharp. And why shouldn't it as the artist apparently used the Suzuki Kizashi 3 sport sedan concept that made a splash at last April's New York Auto Show as a canvas for the 408... -Continued

But come to think of it, after seeing that the Peugeot Kizashi looks quite good on paper, we'd like to propose an idea: since Suzuki seems to have outright diluted the Kizashi's styling on the forthcoming production version (click here for details) how about if Peugeot took the original concept and applied a little bit of magic to create the 408?

Via