Toyota's TS040 LMP1
car might have 1,000hp in total, but with a hybrid electric motor only giving up its 480hp boost part of the time, it's nothing compared to the Group C era.
Smile soon to be replaced by look of terror...
Which is why with a week to go until we start seeing times tumble in qualifying at Le Mans, we've dug out a classic: Mark Blundell on board the 1,100hp 1990
Nissan R90CK
Firstly, we'll apologise for the quality of the footage, but on boards weren't quite what they are today nearly quarter of a century ago.
Still, it doesn't take anything away from the incredible 3 min 27.020 second pole-setting lap Blundell managed to stick in - more than six seconds faster than the second place car.
Controlling the fury unleashed by the Nissan's 3.5-litre twin-turbo V8 with a pair of wastegates stuck shut, the motor churned out (we'll say it again) 1,100hp in the process. With no traction control. Watch him wrestle it as its spiky boost tries to bite.
The Japanese team actually told Blundell to abort the lap due to the overboosting blowers, but the Brit pulled the radio plug out of the dash and went for the lap anyway.
"Every input was pure reflex. For about 50 per cent of the lap I felt like I was on the verge of a massive accident." Hero.
Despite the ACO introducing chicanes at La Sarthe for 1990 in a bid to slash top speeds and slow the cars down, the Nissan still blitzed through 227mph. Yeah, very slow indeed.
