Peugeot set a shattering pace in the first qualifying session for this weekend's Le Mans 24 Hours with two of the French diesel-powered 908 HDis setting 3:18 lap times.
Stephane Sarrazin, in the No.8 car, lapped eight seconds quicker than last year's pole time with a best of 3:18.513.
The Frenchman was fastest for much of the first session, and eventually ran four seconds quicker than the best time he set on the test day 10 days ago. Then team-mate Franck Montagny put the No.9 car just one tenth behind, two thirds of the way through the two-hour session.
Nicolas Minassian completed a lock out of the top three for the French manufacturer.
Seven-time winner Tom Kristensen set the quickest Audi time in the No.2 R10 TDi, but his lap was nearly seven seconds off the pace of the lead Peugeots.
Mike Rockenfeller drove the next fastest Audi, half a second off Kristensen's time, with Frank Biela rounding out the top six a further two seconds back.
Jean-Christophe Boullion was best of the petrol-powered cars, taking seventh for Pescarolo just a second off the back of the Audis. The Japanese Dome also set an impressive pace with Daisuke Ito at the wheel, going eighth overall in the new prototype.
Michael Vergers posted a late quick lap to go to the top of the LMP2 standings in the Barazi Epsilon. The lead Porsches from Van Merksteijn and Essex were just a second further back with Jos Verstappen and Sascha Maasen setting the quickest times in each.
The Van Merksteijn Porsche picked up a right rear puncture later in the session, though, forcing Peter van Merksteijn to limp back to the pits with damage to the bodywork of the RS Spyder.
Christophe Bouchet was fastest of the GT1 cars in the Larbre Saleen, ahead of the Corvettes of Oliver Gavin and Johnny O'Connell. The factory Aston Martins of Antonio Garcia and Heinz-Harald Frentzen were fourth and fifth in class.
Porsches struck the first blow in GT2 with the IMSA and Flying Lizards cars leading the way, ahead of the Virgo Motorsport Ferrari and the Felbermayr Porsche.
Peugeots are 7 seconds/lap faster than the Audi R10