Peugeot Unveils Hybrid Le Mans Racer

By Ben Whitworth Motor Industry 07 October 2008 13:03 Peugeot used the final round of this season’s Le Mans Series at Silverstone this weekend to show off its new hybrid-powered 908 HDi FAP racer, which features a similar kinetic energy recovery setup to next year’s Formula 1 system.The 908’s ‘HY’ undertook a number of demonstration laps in front of the packed grandstands and showed how Peugeot’s passenger car technology is filtering through to its motorsport activities.Over the weekend, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest – the company that runs the Le Mans series – announced a raft of aerodynamic and air-intake changes to next year’s regulations to even out the advantages of diesel over petrol. But rather frustratingly for Peugeot, there were no moves to incorporate hybrid powertrains in the 2009 season.But Peugeot claims that it will enter the 908 HY into next year’s Le Mans Series as a ‘Double Oh’ non-competitor to further evaluate the car’s hybrid technology.The HY’s layout comprises three key components - an 80bhp gear-driven electric motor-generator which replaces the conventional starter motor, 10 lithium-ion battery stacks to store the recovered power (six in the cockpit instead of the conventional battery and four on the left-hand side of the floor pan) and an electronic power converter, located in the rear part of the front left wing, which controls the flow of energy between batteries and motor.The result is a 3-5% mechanical energy recovery – and the associated economy and performance benefits. Over a single lap of Le Mans, for example, the system will recoup lost energy for up to 30seconds.This is then converted into a 20second 80bhp kick can either be meted out automatically by the car’s electronics to bolster acceleration throughout the lap or be selectively used by the driver using a ‘push to pass’ boost button.The additional and modified components add a further 65kg to the car’s weight, but Peugeot’s engineers claim the racecar will still easily meet the minimum regulated weight. “As a car manufacturer we can use motor sport as a research and development tool for the Peugeot brand as a whole,” said Michel Barge, Peugeot Sport’s director.

BMW i3 Coupe & 3 Series GT: Geneva Motor Show 2013

The new BMW offerings at Geneva are the debut of the BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo and the European debut of the BMW i3 Coupe Concept. There’s nothing at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show from BMW that will set the column inches flowing, but BMW does have a couple of debuts in Switzerland to tickle interest – the 3 Series GT and the i3 Coupe Concept. The BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo comes under the heading of ‘Why would you build that’ (although, to be fair, we thought the same about the 6 Series Gran Coupe until we reviewed it) when BMW already offers the 3 Series Touring and, if you want something bigger, the 5 Series.

Bentley Azure T (2008) unveiled at LA Auto Show

By Ben Pulman First Official Pictures 12 November 2008 13:40 This is the new Bentley Azure T, a 500bhp and 1000Nm (738lb ft) drop-top that will be unveiled at the LA Auto Show next week. Don’t worry, it has – the company has even laid-off workers while at least one Bentley dealership is reported to have gone bust. But to keep customers coming through the doors there are a few new Bentleys on the way.