In 1976, Gérard Welter and Michel Meunier founded a racing team with the aim of competing regularly in sports car racing, particularly at the 24-hour race in Le Mans. The team developed quickly, though reliability often proved elusive, with finishing the race remaining a challenge. After the 1986 race, where the P86 suffered a failure and the P83B finished 12th overall – 67 laps behind the winners Stuck, Bell, and Holbert in a Porsche 962C – Welter decided to focus resources on a new project.
“Project 400” aimed to surpass 400 km/h on the fastest section of the Le Mans circuit. Welter first needed to convince the ACO of the project’s feasibility and secure official measurements for record recognition. Michelin provided tires with a special compound, guaranteeing a speed of 410 km/h. Drivers Philippe Gache, Roger Dorchy, and Dominique Delestre agreed to participate in the high-speed testing.
The P87’s development relied heavily on the PRV engine, a collaboration between Peugeot, Renault, and Volvo. Welter had strong connections with Peugeot, though the team was never a factory outfit. The P87 used a 2.8-liter V6 PRV engine, twin-turbocharged to produce 890 hp. Welter utilized the Peugeot wind tunnel in Sochaux for five months, focusing on aerodynamic efficiency. The car featured hidden rear wheel arches to minimize turbulence and a unique air supply system for the charge air coolers, drawing air from under the car. An extended wheelbase was implemented to optimize ground effect.
During the Le Mans test days in May 1987, the team faced engine management issues, limiting running. The fastest recorded speed on the Ligne Droite des Hunaudières was 356 km/h. Further testing on a motorway section yielded a measurement of 416 km/h, driven by Roger Dorchy, though the accuracy of this measurement remains unconfirmed.
The 1987 Le Mans race itself was short-lived. Qualifying saw the team achieve 21st on the grid. During the race, turbocharger failure after 13 laps driven by Roger Dorchy forced the car’s retirement. The ACO recorded the car’s highest speed during the race as 387 km/h.
In 1988, Welter returned to Le Mans with both the P87 and the newer P88. Roger Dorchy officially broke the 400 km/h barrier at 405 km/h. The P87 itself was stopped after 22 laps due to a defective gearbox, driven by Pascal Pessiot and Jean-Daniel Raulet.
The long-form study of the P87’s aerodynamic innovations belongs to specialist motorsport engineering publications rather than this article’s corpus.