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| Carmakers vie for Le Mans success | Carmakers vie for Le Mans success |
| (6 days later) | |
| By Theo Leggett Business reporter, BBC News, Le Mans A quarter of a million fans travel to the Le Mans race every year | By Theo Leggett Business reporter, BBC News, Le Mans A quarter of a million fans travel to the Le Mans race every year |
| This weekend, on the stroke of 1500 local time, 55 high-powered racing cars will roar off the starting grid to begin perhaps the most celebrated and most demanding motor race in the world. | |
| They will joust with one another at high speeds through a night and a day, on bumpy public roads which normally carry the rather more mundane traffic of commuters' cars and delivery vans. | They will joust with one another at high speeds through a night and a day, on bumpy public roads which normally carry the rather more mundane traffic of commuters' cars and delivery vans. |
| This is the Le Mans 24 hours, an automotive marathon which takes place every year on the outskirts of the city of Le Mans, in north-west France. | This is the Le Mans 24 hours, an automotive marathon which takes place every year on the outskirts of the city of Le Mans, in north-west France. |
| First held in 1923, it was designed as an endurance test, enabling manufacturers to prove the reliability of their latest models during an era when breakdowns were commonplace. | First held in 1923, it was designed as an endurance test, enabling manufacturers to prove the reliability of their latest models during an era when breakdowns were commonplace. |
| But these days, most of the four-wheeled missiles which hurtle down the fabled Mulsanne straight at more than 200mph bear no more than a superficial resemblance to the kind of cars you or I might hope to buy. | But these days, most of the four-wheeled missiles which hurtle down the fabled Mulsanne straight at more than 200mph bear no more than a superficial resemblance to the kind of cars you or I might hope to buy. |
| And while the race has a special place in motor racing folklore, attracting some 250,000 spectators every year, even the dullest, most monotonous Formula 1 Grand Prix tends to attract more media attention. | And while the race has a special place in motor racing folklore, attracting some 250,000 spectators every year, even the dullest, most monotonous Formula 1 Grand Prix tends to attract more media attention. |
| So why do car manufacturers continue to pour money and resources into trying to win this gruelling event, which rewards endurance and guile far more than outright speed? | So why do car manufacturers continue to pour money and resources into trying to win this gruelling event, which rewards endurance and guile far more than outright speed? |
| Racing thoroughbreds | Racing thoroughbreds |
| This year, the fight for the winner's laurels is likely to be between Peugeot, Audi and Aston Martin. Three very different manufacturers, with subtly different motives. | This year, the fight for the winner's laurels is likely to be between Peugeot, Audi and Aston Martin. Three very different manufacturers, with subtly different motives. |
| Sportscar firm Aston Martin has a long history here. It won the race in 1959 and the appeal of its brand draws heavily on the successes and heroic failures of the past. | Sportscar firm Aston Martin has a long history here. It won the race in 1959 and the appeal of its brand draws heavily on the successes and heroic failures of the past. |
| Peugeot's winning car from 2009 is an attraction at this year's event | Peugeot's winning car from 2009 is an attraction at this year's event |
| For Aston then, Le Mans seems like a perfect fit. It is a high-performance brand, which markets cars for their sporting qualities, and by racing here, it can draw attention to its sporting heritage. | For Aston then, Le Mans seems like a perfect fit. It is a high-performance brand, which markets cars for their sporting qualities, and by racing here, it can draw attention to its sporting heritage. |
| "Le Mans is a race for thoroughbred sportscars," says Aston Martin chairman David Richards. | "Le Mans is a race for thoroughbred sportscars," says Aston Martin chairman David Richards. |
| "A combination of speed and reliability are crucial, traits that are ultimately key to the success of our road car products." | "A combination of speed and reliability are crucial, traits that are ultimately key to the success of our road car products." |
| But Aston Martin's approach isn't risk-free. For all the glamour associated with its brand - which includes being the supplier of choice to James Bond - it remains a small company. | But Aston Martin's approach isn't risk-free. For all the glamour associated with its brand - which includes being the supplier of choice to James Bond - it remains a small company. |
| It simply doesn't have the financial resources to compete on an equal level with two of the biggest names in the car business: Peugeot and VW-Audi. | It simply doesn't have the financial resources to compete on an equal level with two of the biggest names in the car business: Peugeot and VW-Audi. |
| Yet because it trades on its sporting prestige, it cannot afford to be beaten too often by a brand such as Peugeot, best known for building mass market family cars. | Yet because it trades on its sporting prestige, it cannot afford to be beaten too often by a brand such as Peugeot, best known for building mass market family cars. |
| Car next door | Car next door |
| Peugeot, meanwhile, is aware its brand lacks glamour. It competes in motorsport around the world to add lustre to its car-next-door image. | Peugeot, meanwhile, is aware its brand lacks glamour. It competes in motorsport around the world to add lustre to its car-next-door image. |
| The company turned its back on Formula 1 after an unsuccessful campaign in the mid 1990s. Since then, it has competed successfully in touring cars and rallying. | The company turned its back on Formula 1 after an unsuccessful campaign in the mid 1990s. Since then, it has competed successfully in touring cars and rallying. |
| But it has a special relationship with Le Mans, a race which has huge resonance in France. It won in 1992 and 1993 before claiming another victory last year. | But it has a special relationship with Le Mans, a race which has huge resonance in France. It won in 1992 and 1993 before claiming another victory last year. |
| At this race, Peugeot presents itself as, to all intents and purposes, a national team. Its efforts here are designed, above all, to boost its standing in its home market. | At this race, Peugeot presents itself as, to all intents and purposes, a national team. Its efforts here are designed, above all, to boost its standing in its home market. |
| Audi says motorsport brings it credibiilty | Audi says motorsport brings it credibiilty |
| Audi, by contrast, is looking far away from its home market when it competes at Le Mans. | Audi, by contrast, is looking far away from its home market when it competes at Le Mans. |
| The German marque, an upmarket division of Europe's biggest carmaker, Volkswagen, has spent the past decade building up sales in North America. | The German marque, an upmarket division of Europe's biggest carmaker, Volkswagen, has spent the past decade building up sales in North America. |
| During that period, Audi has won the 24 Hours nine times. | During that period, Audi has won the 24 Hours nine times. |
| It has also competed regularly in the American Le Mans Series - a championship for cars eligible to compete at Le Mans. | It has also competed regularly in the American Le Mans Series - a championship for cars eligible to compete at Le Mans. |
| The company believes that this has reaped huge benefits, raising the public profile of the Audi brand, and giving it a much zestier, more youthful image. | The company believes that this has reaped huge benefits, raising the public profile of the Audi brand, and giving it a much zestier, more youthful image. |
| "The return on investment is how you improve the image of your brand," says Audi's head of motorsport, Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. | "The return on investment is how you improve the image of your brand," says Audi's head of motorsport, Dr Wolfgang Ullrich. |
| "Sportiness is a key factor in the branding of Audi - and Audi is now seen as faster and sportier every year. So our investment is working." | "Sportiness is a key factor in the branding of Audi - and Audi is now seen as faster and sportier every year. So our investment is working." |
| Advanced engines | Advanced engines |
| But competing at Le Mans is not just about branding. It is also about developing new technologies. | But competing at Le Mans is not just about branding. It is also about developing new technologies. |
| Unlike most forms of motorsport, Le Mans style sportscar racing gives competitors a great deal of technical freedom. The rules are designed to encourage different kinds of engines and different kinds of fuels. | Unlike most forms of motorsport, Le Mans style sportscar racing gives competitors a great deal of technical freedom. The rules are designed to encourage different kinds of engines and different kinds of fuels. |
| Both Audi and Peugeot have taken advantage of this, using Le Mans as a test bed for highly advanced turbodiesel engines. | Both Audi and Peugeot have taken advantage of this, using Le Mans as a test bed for highly advanced turbodiesel engines. |
| The technology developed on the racetrack is already being used by both companies in the cars they make for the public. | The technology developed on the racetrack is already being used by both companies in the cars they make for the public. |
| Formula 1 racing can be a costly affair | Formula 1 racing can be a costly affair |
| "People used to say diesel is slow, it's loud, it's smelly," says Dr Ullrich. | "People used to say diesel is slow, it's loud, it's smelly," says Dr Ullrich. |
| "They don't say that any more. It is important to race in a way that lets you run and prove new technologies, to improve performance, efficiency and fuel consumption. | "They don't say that any more. It is important to race in a way that lets you run and prove new technologies, to improve performance, efficiency and fuel consumption. |
| "So where better to do it than at the toughest race in the world?" | "So where better to do it than at the toughest race in the world?" |
| For both Peugeot and Audi, racing at Le Mans forms part of a carefully thought out motorsport strategy. | For both Peugeot and Audi, racing at Le Mans forms part of a carefully thought out motorsport strategy. |
| Both compete in other championships, where it's fair to say the cars look much more like the models you might find in your local dealership. | Both compete in other championships, where it's fair to say the cars look much more like the models you might find in your local dealership. |
| But those populist series do not offer the technical freedom or the gruelling challenges of the Le Mans 24 hours. | But those populist series do not offer the technical freedom or the gruelling challenges of the Le Mans 24 hours. |
| But this doesn't matter - because both manufacturers believe that competing at Le Mans is worth the extra expense. | But this doesn't matter - because both manufacturers believe that competing at Le Mans is worth the extra expense. |
| To put things into perspective, in recent years the cost of running a mid-grid team in Formula 1 has been more than $200m. | To put things into perspective, in recent years the cost of running a mid-grid team in Formula 1 has been more than $200m. |
| "For a budget like that," says Dr Ullrich, "I could do touring cars, Le Mans and the American Le Mans Series for several years." | "For a budget like that," says Dr Ullrich, "I could do touring cars, Le Mans and the American Le Mans Series for several years." |