The Australian International Motor Show (AIMS) will play host to not one, but two diesel motorsport icons when its doors open in Sydney on October 15.
Arguably the highlight of the show for motorsport fans, David Brabham's Le Mans-winning Peugeot 908 HDi FAP will be a central feature of the show, the 2009 victor of the legendary La Sarthe race track the icing on the cake at the Peugeot stand.
Brabham and co-drivers Alexander Wurz and Mark Gene covered 382 laps of the classic 13.62 kilometre French circuit, the 24 hour event netting the team a 216km/h average speed.
The Peugeot 908 HDi FAP is powered by a V12 turbo-diesel engine developing more than 515kW of power and a staggering 1200Nm of torque, technology Peugeot Australia's general manager and director Ken Thomas says forms much of the test-bed for the brand's road going cars.
"The endurance achievements made by this vehicle represent the future for Peugeot HDi technology," explained Thomas.
"With every lap, with every kilometre, we learn more about the way our engines perform. This is translated into innovative technology – which you see on Peugeots today.
"A perfect example is the 2.0-litre engines we will feature at AIMS in the 3008, 4008 and RCZ, just to mention a few."
Fans of off-road and rally events will also be well catered for with AIMS also playing host to Bruce Garland's Dakar entry headlining the Isuzu stand.
The Isuzu D-MAX Dakar challenger will compete in the 2011 Dakar Rally and will come to AIMS fresh from its debut outing in September's Australasian Safari in Western Australia.
Garland's Isuzu D-MAX is slightly tweaked from showroom condition to stretch its potential in gruelling off-road events. Powered by a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, the D-MAX develops 192kW of power and approximately 630Nm of torque – respectively 60 and 75 per cent more than the standard D-MAX engine.
"In the Safari, four-time victor Bruce Garland is aiming to drive his D-MAX up the finish ramp as the first diesel-powered winner of a major Australian motorsport event," said Isuzu Ute's marketing general manager Richard Power.
"The show ute is outwardly similar to Garland's 2009 Dakar D-MAX where he surprised the international field by finishing first production car and 11th outright.
"Its extra grunt this year will give it more top speed against the mega-dollar factory team specials."
The Australian International Motor Show will be held at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in Darling Harbour from 15-24 October.
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