WM P82
| Industry | Motorsports, Automotive racing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | Gérard Welter, Michel Meunier |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Group C sports prototype race cars (Welter-Meunier P82, P83, P83B, P86) |
The Welter-Meunier P82 and its subsequent models—the P83, P83B, and P86—constitute a lineup of mid-engined Group C sports prototype race vehicles engineered by the French outfit Welter Racing for competition in sports car racing from 1982 through 1986. The P82 achieved its highest placement with a 6th-place finish at the 1982 1000km of Monza, piloted by Roger Dorchy, Guy Fréquelin, and Jean-Daniel Raulet. Equipped with a Garrett twin-turbocharged Peugeot PRV V6, it delivered between 600 and 890 horsepower at 8300 rpm, transmitting power to the rear wheels via a five-speed manual gearbox. The aluminum monocoque chassis had an approximate weight of .
WM P83/P83B
Introduced in 1983 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the P83 incorporated a monocoque chassis paired with aerodynamic body panels enveloping the rear wheels, developed with wind tunnel insights provided by Gérard Welter, Peugeot's aerodynamic specialist. A substantial rear wing was installed to augment downforce on the rear axle. Its propulsion came from a 2.8-liter turbocharged Peugeot six-cylinder engine generating close to 420 horsepower.
At Le Mans, two P83 units qualified in 17th and 18th positions. The #9 entry, driven by Belgian Didier Theys, withdrew after completing 102 laps due to an engine overheating issue that prevented restarting post-pit stop. The #10 vehicle, shared by Pascal Fabre and Roger Dorchy, also experienced overheating complications but managed to finish 16th overall despite numerous unscheduled pit stops.
The following year saw the updated P83B sporting a broader rear section while maintaining wheel covers. During the 1984 Le Mans race, Roger Dorchy briefly led from an eighth-place start—marking the first instance of a Welter car leading at Le Mans—though he fell back after one lap. Both P83B entries retired that year. In 1985, the #42 car driven by former Le Mans winner Jean Rondeau secured 17th place; meanwhile, another entry was disqualified and a third suffered a crash.
The P83 made its final Le Mans appearance in 1986 alongside the debut of the P86. Beginning from 34th on the grid, drivers Dorchy, Claude Haldi, and Pascal Pessiot brought the car home in twelfth place overall.
WM P86
Developed as an evolution of the P82, the P86 was constructed by Welter Racing in 1986 and campaigned through 1987. With financial backing from Peugeot, it formed part of Gérard Welter's series of swift prototypes entered at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The model name signifies Welter (W), co-founder Michel Meunier (M), prototype classification (P), and its year of creation (86). Closely resembling the P85 design, the P86 featured fully enclosed rear wheel arches to enhance aerodynamic efficiency; these covers were designed to lift during tire changes to reduce time lost in pit stops. Leveraging his position as a Peugeot designer, Welter utilized Peugeot's wind tunnel facilities to refine the vehicle’s bodywork.
Peugeot’s primary contribution lay in the powerplant: a tuned PRV 2.8-liter V6 turbocharged engine delivering roughly 550 horsepower—the sole DOHC engine within this lineup. Only one chassis of the P86 was ever produced.
The P86 participated at Le Mans twice—in 1986 and again in 1987. In its initial outing, drivers Jean-Daniel Raulet, Michel Pignard, and François Migault competed in car #41 within the C1 category but retired after completing 132 laps due to engine failure. The following year, Raulet, Migault, and Pascal Pessiot faced a similar fate as engine troubles forced them out before race completion.