2007 Peugeot 908 V12 HDi Pictures, Specifications, Information

On 14 June 2005, Peugeot announced its decision to take up a new technological challenge: to win one of the most prestigious and most demanding motor races in the world, the Le Mans 24 Hours, with a car powered by an HDi diesel engine, equipped with a diesel particulate filter system.

The choice of engine architecture has been based on a 100° twelve-cylinder V design, with a 5.5 litre cylinder capacity.

This is the maximum cylinder capacity that regulations allow and was chosen for it efficient operation at low speed. It also enables engine power to be limited in the first instance, but also enables further development.

The number of cylinders results, on the one hand, from the wish to keep bore diameter very close to that of a production series engine, in order to make best use of Peugeot’s diesel combustion knowledge and, on the other hand, to limit the stroke to a reasonable value. The V12 architecture, well known for its good balance, also reduces vibration to a minimum.

The 100° V angle, of the V12 architecture, allows the height of the centre of gravity to be lowered without affecting the torsional rigidity of the engine.

Two diesel particulate filters are mounted at the end of each of the exhaust systems. Through technology which has come directly from production cars, they will provide a guaranteed control of exhaust emissions under all operating conditions. The two diesel particulate filters fitted to the engine being presented, carry the numbers 1.195.520 and 1.195.521 which are the numeric production numbers of the filters in the overall production total of all filters since the introduction on to Peugeot vehicles.

The level of performance expected – more than 515kW (700 bhp) of power and a torque output greater than 1.200 Nm – is without precedent in a diesel engine and is a direct result of Peugeot’s current level of know-how in diesel technology, linked to the mechanical characteristics of the V12.

Bosch is one of Peugeot Sport’s essential partners on this project, making an active contribution to the specification of the fuel injection components and to the engine management system.