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As we reported yesterday, Peugeot was clearly the fastest in qualifying for this weekend's running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The record-setting runs of all three 908 HDi diesel-powered LMP1 cars places Peugeot's entire field of entries 1-2-3 on the starting grid. That's impressive considering two of Peugeot's car crashed during the past two weeks of practice. Audi is hoping that its team's experience, quicker pit stops and more fuel efficient R10 LMP1 cars will eventually carry it past the Peugeots, despite starting fourth, fifth and seventh on the 55-car grid. And thanks to the speed of Lola Aston Martin driver Stefan Mücke whose petrol-powered car earned the sixth spot on the starting grid, not all the front runners will be diesel-powered.

As for classes other than LMP1, the next fastest LMP2 class was dominated by the Porsche Spyders not surprisingly, while LMGT1 is being led by the #63 Corvette Racing C6.R. The Corvettes will be chased this year by the particularly fast #50 Larbre Competition Saleen S7 and some slower but determined Aston Martin DBR9s from Aston Martin Racing. Finally, LMGT2 will be another great battle between Porsches and Ferraris, with the #76 Imsa Performance Matmut Porsche 911 GT3 RSR on pole for the class. Remember the amazing GT2 class finish of last year's race between Flying Lizard's Jorg Bergmeister in a Porsche 911 GT3 RSR and Risi Competizione's Jaime Melo in a Ferrari 430GT? If not, watch it again here as a reminder of why Le Mans is absolutely amazing. Also check out this great post at UltimateCarPage that has a detailed breakdown of all 55 cars with an image of each one and a list of their drivers.

[Source: 24 Hours of Le Mans, UltimateCarPage, Photo by JEAN FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP/Getty ]

The automotive media are all abuzz with Peugeot's announcement of its drivers' line-up for this year's 24 Hours of Le Mans. The French automaker's team took pole and second place at the event last year, and an overall victory in the European series where the equally matched Audi R10 TDI did not compete. PSA, however, is not about to rest until its team thoroughly trounces its rivals, especially Audi, and as we reported previously, towards that effort Peugeot has been recruiting top talent from Formula One to pilot the 908 HDi to victory lane.

The announced roster includes Ferrari test driver Marc Gene, BMW Sauber tester Christian Klien, former Lotus pilot Pedro Lamy, former Super Aguri driver Franck Montagny, former Minardi driver Stephane Sarrazin, Honda F1 test driver and former Le Mans winner Alex Wurz, F1 veteran Ricardo Zonta, and former world champion Jacques Villeneuve. Nicolas Minassian joins the team as the only member never to have earned his F1 Superlicense. Notable is the absence of Sebastien Bourdais, the four-time Champ Car champion who drove the second-place 908 HDi last year alongside Sarrazin and Lamy, but he has his hands full in F1 this year. With such an experienced roster of drivers, Peugeot could stand a more than decent chance of unseating Audi from its domination of the event, broken since 2000 only by the Bentley Speed 8, which Audi themselves supported.

[Source: Autosport, Photo by JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP/Getty]

Peugeot had a great season in Le Mans racing last year, having taken the series title but narrowly missing victory at the main event. The French team is ready to bring the diesel fight back to Audi's doorstep, and too that end has recruited yet another Formula One driver to pilot the diesel-powered 908 Hdi at the 2008 running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ricardo Zonta drove for BAR-Honda, Jordan and Toyota, and until last season served as a test driver for Renault. Although he never won a grand prix, he did more relevantly take the FIA GT championship in 1998 after his Mercedes broke down at Le Mans.

While Peugeot has yet to announce its line-up for the 2008, last year the roster included several names from Formula One, including former F1 champion Jacques Villeneuve (with whom Zonta drove at BAR), four-time Champ Car champ Sebastien Bourdais (who starts in F1 this year for Scuderia Toro Rosso) and veteran Ferrari test driver Marc Gené. Alex Wurz, who in 1996 became the youngest driver ever to win Le Mans and recently signed as a test driver for Honda F1 after leaving Williams, is also rumored to be part of Peugeot's line-up when they it announce sometime in February.

[Source: Autosport]

UPDATE 1 - Official press release and two new high res photos added after the jump.

Paris. Every two years, the city's exposition center transforms into an automotive theme park, with building upon building loaded with everything from cars to commercial vehicles. Since it's the French automakers' hometown show, they like to make a splash at their huge displays. Thanks to our friends at Autoblog Spanish, we've learned that for Peugeot, this year's big story will be the 908 RC concept.

A study in luxury and high-performance diesel technology, the 908 RC is a large 4-passenger sedan powered by the company's new 700-horsepower Le Mans V12 diesel. The modern, light-colored leather interior is futuristic without heading too deeply into Star Trek territory, and the car's greenhouse is expansive, featuring a panoramic windshield and glass roof.

Outside, the menacing front end is an evolution of the treatment first seen on the 907 Concept, Peugeot's 2004 Paris showstopper. Long and sleek, flying buttresses grow out of the C-pillar to give 908 RC a coupelike profile. The rear view looks great, with a substantial diffuser flanked by meaty exhaust outlets.

We'd tell you more about this stunning new French sled, but we're still waiting for the official skinny from Peugeot. In the meantime, enjoy the eye candy and book your September flight to Paris.

(More photos after the jump)

[Source: AutoWeek.nl via Autoblog Spanish]