Peugeot 9X8

Peugeot 9X8
The 9X8 being driven at the 2024 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
CategoryLe Mans Hypercar
ConstructorPeugeot
Designer(s)Matthias Hossann (Design Director)[1]
Vadim Gilca (Exterior Designer)[2]
Olivier Jansonnie (Technical Director)[3]
PredecessorPeugeot 908
Technical specifications
Length5,000 mm (197 in; 16 ft)
Width2,080 mm (82 in; 7 ft)
Height1,180 mm (46 in; 4 ft)
Wheelbase3,045 mm (120 in; 10 ft)
EnginePeugeot X6H[4] 2.6 litre V6 90° twin-turbo mid-engined, longitudinally mounted 4WD (Peugeot Hybrid4) limited to 8,500 rpm
Electric motorPeugeot Sport-conceived front-mounted Separate motor-generator unit + single-speed reducer
TransmissionSadev 7-speed sequential manual[4]
BatteryHigh-density 900-volt battery co-designed by Peugeot Sport, TotalEnergies/Saft
Power671 bhp (680 PS; 500 kW) (Petrol)
268 bhp (272 PS; 200 kW) (Electric)
FuelTotalEnergies
LubricantsTotalEnergies[4]
BrakesCarbone Industrie carbon 380/365mm with AP Monobloc 6-piston calipers[4]
TyresMichelin slicks with OZ one-piece forged alloys, 31/71-18,[4] after 29/71-18 front and 34/71-18 rear
Competition history
Notable entrantsFrance Peugeot Sport
Notable drivers
Debut2022 6 Hours of Monza
Last event2024 8 Hours of Bahrain
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
180201
Teams' Championships0
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

The Peugeot 9X8 is a sports prototype racing car built by French car manufacturer Peugeot for the Le Mans Hypercar category in the FIA World Endurance Championship.

Peugeot states the 9X8's name to be a combination of multiple elements: the 9 symbolizes the brand's high-performance models, the X represents all-wheel drive and electric drive technologies, and the 8 corresponds to the brand's contemporary models.[5]

Development

On 13 November 2019, Peugeot announced its return to the WEC and 24 Hours of Le Mans for 2022 in the new Hypercar category. This debut was subsequently delayed, with Peugeot stating that "Team PEUGEOT TotalEnergies’ PEUGEOT 9X8 Hybrid Hypercar will not race at the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans and will instead make its racing debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship (FIA WEC) this summer".[6] The car eventually made its debut at the 2022 6 Hours of Monza on the 6th of July.

Succeeding the 905 and 908, the 9X8 was designed to take full advantage of the freedoms allowed by the new regulations for the Hypercar category. The first area to benefit from the new regulations is aerodynamics; the vehicle is allowed to have only one adjustable aerodynamic element without the FIA specifying what it should be, thus allowing Peugeot to do without the rear wing.[7][8] The 9X8 is powered by a 500 kW (670 hp) twin-turbo 2.6 L V6 engine mated to a 7-speed sequential gearbox driving the rear wheels, while a 200 kW (270 hp) electric motor drives the front wheels.[5]

Peugeot’s on-track testing program began in December 2021 and has since visited Algarve International Circuit, Circuit Paul Ricard, MotorLand Aragón, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, and Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, with the 9X8 clocking up more than 10,000 kilometres over the course of 25 test days.

In April 2023, a Lego Technic 1:10 scale model of the 9X8 was announced. The set consists of 1,775 pieces and was released on May 1, 2023.[9]

Competition history

In the World Endurance Championship, the two Peugeots use numbers 93 and 94, as a reference to Peugeot's overall victory at the 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans.[10]

Peugeot 9X8 concept car at the 2023 Rétromobile Salon
Rear view of the 9X8
The No. 94 9X8 at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans

2022

Paul Di Resta, Loïc Duval, Mikkel Jensen, Gustavo Menezes, James Rossiter and Jean-Éric Vergne were nominated to share driving duties and form the crews of the two-car entry in the 2022 6 Hours of Monza, with the composition of each trio due to be confirmed at a later stage following the conclusion of the car’s testing program. The two 9X8s were then set to contest the remainder of the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship, including the 2022 6 Hours of Fuji and season finale, the 2022 8 Hours of Bahrain.[11]

2024

On 25 March 2024, Peugeot presented an updated version of the 9X8 with an added rear wing; the previous version of the 9X8 proved uncompetitive due to its dependency on ground effect, especially harmed by uneven road surfaces like at Sebring (where WEC did not race in 2024). Peugeot also abandoned equal tyre widths, switching from 31 cm tyres all around to 29 cm tyres at the front and 34 cm at the rear like all its competitors.[12]

Complete World Endurance Championship results

(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.

Year Entrants Class Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Points Pos
2022 Peugeot TotalEnergies Hypercar SEB SPA LMN MON FUJ BHR 42 4th
United Kingdom Paul di Resta 93 Ret 4 Ret
Denmark Mikkel Jensen Ret 4 Ret
France Jean-Éric Vergne Ret 4 Ret
France Loïc Duval 94 4 5 4
United States Gustavo Menezes 4 5 4
United Kingdom James Rossiter 4 5
Switzerland Nico Müller 4
2023 Peugeot TotalEnergies Hypercar SEB POR SPA LMN MON FUJ BHR 67 5th
United Kingdom Paul di Resta 93 9 7 8 6 3 8 9
Denmark Mikkel Jensen 9 7 8 6 3 8 9
France Jean-Éric Vergne 9 7 8 6 3 8 9
France Loïc Duval 94 NC 5 9 9 11 7 8
United States Gustavo Menezes NC 5 9 9 11 7 8
Switzerland Nico Müller NC 5 9 9 11 8
Belgium Stoffel Vandoorne 7
2024 Peugeot TotalEnergies Hypercar QAT IMO SPA LMN SAP COA FUJ BHR 57 6th
Denmark Mikkel Jensen 93 DSQ 9 10 12 8 12 4 3
Switzerland Nico Müller DSQ 9 10 12 8 12 4 3
France Jean-Éric Vergne DSQ 9 12 8 12 4 3
United Kingdom Paul di Resta 94 15 15 14 11 16 Ret 8 Ret
France Loïc Duval 15 15 14 11 16 Ret 8 Ret
Belgium Stoffel Vandoorne 15 15 11 16 Ret 8 Ret
Sources:[13][14]

References

  1. ^ "PEUGEOT 9X8 HYBRID HYPERCAR: ULTIMATE DESIGN". Stellantis North America. 20 January 2022. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
  2. ^ Gaudy, Geraldine (7 June 2021). "Peugeot 9X8 (2022). Découvrez l'hypercar hybride au V6 biturbo !" [Peugeot 9X8 (2022). Discover the hybrid hypercar with V6 biturbo!]. L'argus (in French). Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  3. ^ Watkins, Gary (27 November 2022). "Peugeot to complete first 24-hour test with 9X8 before Christmas". Motorsport.com. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Entry List 2023" (PDF). 24 Hours of Le Mans (in French). Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Nouvelle Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar | Néo-performance par Peugeot Sport". www.peugeot.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Peugeot Sport Confirm No 9X8 Hypercar Debut Until After Le Mans | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  7. ^ "24h du Mans : où en sont le programme Peugeot et la 9x8 ?". Auto moto : magazine auto et moto (in French). 18 August 2021. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  8. ^ Géraldine Gaudy (20 July 2021). "Peugeot 9X8 (2022). Découvrez l'hypercar hybride au V6 biturbo !" (in French). L'Argus. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
  9. ^ Ong, Jay (14 April 2023). "LEGO unveils the Technic Peugeot 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar (42156) ahead of its 24 hour Le Mans debut". Jay's Brick Blog. Archived from the original on 25 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  10. ^ "What do Hypercar race numbers mean?".
  11. ^ "WEC: Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar to debut at Monza". Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  12. ^ Watkins, Gary (25 March 2024). "Peugeot reveals revised 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar with rear wing". motorsport.com. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
  13. ^ "Season 2022 Results". FIA World Endurance Championship. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Season 2023 Results". FIA World Endurance Championship. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.


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