Herman at 19:53, 19 June 2007

2007-06-19T19:53:43Z

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[[Ettore Bugatti]] had designed a baby car in [[1912]], which he licenced to the [[Peugeot]] company. Contacts were evidently maintained with that company, since years later he designed a 996cc supercharged engine for use in the 201 series of Peugeots cars, known as the 201X. About 20 of these were made, mostly with cabriolet bodywork. [[Peugeot]] were anxious to produce a high performance sportscar and the choice for a Bugatti engine was no doubt appropiate.

The engine, known as type 48, was virtually half of a [[Type 35]] engine, 60 x 88 mm, capacity 996cc, and used half of the normal roller bearing, G.P. crankshaft, and a single cylinder block, although the cambox had a rounded top. Another Molsheim feature was the quarter elliptic springs at the rear, but the transverse front spring was [[Peugeot]]. The wheelbase was 2.47m and the track was 1.15m

The Peugeot had an unhappy history: The famous racedriver [[André Boillot]] was killed in one on the 5th of June 1932, while practising for the Cote d'Ars race. He had had a long period of success as a driver for [[Peugeot]] and had just completed a few days previously a 24 hour run in a Peugeot 301C averaging 68 mph without a relief driver.

One example of the 201X engine is known to exist today.

Peugeot 201X - Revision history

Herman at 19:53, 19 June 2007