Do you know why the Peugeot 908 RC Concept is a 15-year-old that hasn’t aged a day? That's because it's never been beautiful in the first place. From the day the newborn was presented to the world at the Paris Motor Show in 2006, it has never pretended to be on the positive side of pretty, which has worked surprisingly much in its favor as the 908 RC can easily pass as a concept for tomorrow.
The French marquee had shown us the newborn’s pictures about a month prior to the Motor Show unveiling. They weren’t particularly pretty pictures, perhaps because the first generation road-going Audi R8 had just arrived the same year, significantly raising the bar on how beautiful a performance car can be. But the 908 RC was not a roadster like the Audi. It was instead a luxury 4-door sedan surprisingly propelled by a 5.5L VI2 HDi diesel mill lifted from the Le Mans prototype Peugeot 908 HDi FAP.
In other words, the 908 RC was a luxury tourer with the soul of a warrior. To appreciate the RC’s powerplant, consider that it took on the Audi R10 TDI as well as the Audi R15 TDI and won the 2009 Le Mans. In fact, the 908 HDi racer won 19 out of 28 races between 2007 and 2010. For these reasons, the 2006 Peugeot 908 RC Concept is unforgettable, pretty or not.
The Legendary Power Of The V12 Peugeot 908 RC
The 908 RC is beautiful – from the inside out, we mean. We may have dwelt a little too much on the cosmetic appearance of this car but we do so with a caveat. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. What no one can deny, however, is the legendary power of the RC's centrally and transversally-positioned diesel-powered V12.
The motor, equipped with a diesel particulate filter system, was originally developed for the grueling Le Mans race series. The two particulate filters on the end of each exhaust system promoted the 908 RC as a climate-conscious motorcar. The turbocharged diesel engine delivered a legendary power and performance previously unseen in diesel motors. It had 100 degrees V angle architecture and a very low center of gravity.
Where the 2006 Audi R8 we’ve mentioned produced 420 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque, Peugeot’s 908 RC Concept made 700 horses driving on all four wheels and a pounding 885 pound-force feet of torque. It proved yet again that appearance can be deceiving. It maintained a top speed exceeding 186 mph, an impressive nimbleness for a saloon. Even the lightweight 2006 Audi with a carbon fiber reinforced composite body had a 187 mph top speed.
The Peugeot was made with carbon composite and aluminum and came with a stated curb weight of 1,800 kg. Power travels to the rear wheels via a 6-speed electronically controlled sequential gearbox beneath the engine. The 6-speed manual gearbox was specifically adapted to match the V12’s exceptionally powerful torque.
The arrangement of the powertrain allowed for a large capacity trunk. It sat behind the final drive assembly, unobtrusive of the interior space and passenger compartment. The position of the powertrain equally allowed the driving position to shift forward, making for an enhanced driving experience for the driver and the passengers. Concepts like the Peugeot 908 RC are an attempt to push the boundaries of what is possible. It's a shame that the 908 RC remained a dream after all these years.
You wouldn't see it printed on the engine, but the 908 was a clear nod to the victorious 908 racer. The “RC” designation was reserved for the marque’s sports models. The 908 RC Concept may have remained no more than an idea, but we get the idea; a grand tourer offering the ultimate motoring pleasure. It was obvious at the unveiling that Peugeot had no intention of cutting corners with this car. The efficient powerplant was not at the expense of comfort, luxury, and, yes, the environment.
The Peugeot Prototype That Time Forgot
We only think it’s been so long because the Peugeot 908 RC deserves to have been through production. We realize for that to happen, the design may have to see significant changes, but we don't care. Furthermore, we don't care because the powerplant would've remained, or it wouldn't be a 908. That's probably why the 908 RC would never smell the production line. The bodywork constitutes an aerodynamic construction streamlined to achieve an impressive drag coefficient of just 0.556.
Would Peugeot dare get rid of the air ducts specially crafted in a wind tunnel, which optimizes not just the RC's performance but fuel efficiency and engine ventilation? The two-part front air ducts deliver air to the radiators while improving the car's overall aerodynamic capabilities.
It does this with the help of the anodized aluminum vents located upstream of the front wheels, through which internal and external airflow is maximized. No matter what they do to the body, as long as the position of the powerplant and the powertrain itself remains unchanged, the 908 RC would have left an indelible mark as a production model globally.