Perhaps it's just me, but I find that, in general, the design of Le Mans cars is just plain weird. I'm sure they look they way they do due to aero dynamics and all that sort of thing, but they don't strike me as visually appealing.

Case in point, the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP Hybrid Race Car. There's no doubt that the technology behind it is impressive, but it looks alien, in a bad way.

The 908 HDi FAP’s “HY” 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 either by reduced fuel consumption for the same level of performance, or 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.

Like I said, the technology is more than impressive, but still, it looks weird. But maybe that's just me.

Other Makes 2 DOORS 1975 PEUGEOT 504 V6 NO RESERVE

3 Bids

US $5,200.00

4d 2h 47m

Peugeot 505 T RARE 86 Peugeot 505 Turbocharged auto CLEAN NO RESERVE!

1 Bid

US $400.00

6d 7h 43m

The Peugeot 308 RC Z is a 2+2 coupé was designed to be as light as possible. It features a range of aluminum components, carbon fibre body parts and a polycarbonate rear windscreen.

The 308 RC Z concept car is powered by a tweaked 1.6 litre THP engine developed the collaboration between PSA Peugeot Citroën and the BMW Group, the same engine fitted to the 207 GTi. As a result of new engine management software developed especially for the concept, the 1.6 litre THP engine fitted to the 308 RC Z is capable of a maximum power output of 160kW (217bhp). Its maximum torque is listed at 280 Nm (300 Nm in overboost). A Twin-Scroll turbocharger doesn't hurt its performance either. The engine is paired with a 6 speed manual gearbox.

On paper, the Peugeot 308 RC Z concept appears to be relatively fuel efficient, coming in at 6.7 litres/100 km. Proving that efficiency doesn't have to be at the expense of style, the 308 RC Z sits on polished 19" rims.

Peugeot have stated that safety was a priority when designing the concept, and this shows in the range of next generation safety features. The 308 RC Z concept car includes the Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) as well at the "Peugeot Emergency" system. This system utilises the RT4 telematics system (think GPS) to trigger and dispatch appropriate assistance should the vehicle be involved in an accident. This obviously decreases the response times in case of a crash, which could mean the difference between life and death.

All in all, the Peugeot 308 RC Z does everything a good concept car should. It highlights the direction that a car could take into the future as well as providing a glimpse of what we can expect to see as standard in coming years. Style wise, the RC Z is a step up from any thing Peugeot have released in the past. If the company keeps moving forward in this direction, they may just be onto a winner.