New Peugeot Hypercar : Designed to Race

“I know the teams at PEUGEOT Design and PEUGEOT Sport, and they always produce quality, innovative work, but I have to admit to being blown away by the 9X8. It is simply magnificent. The way its innovative, flowing lines exude such a powerful brand identity is masterful.” 

Linda Jackson, Chief Executive Officer, Peugeot  

Unbolting the prototype of the 9X8 New Peugeot Hypercar, which will bring PEUGEOT in the battleground with renowned firms like Toyota, Ferrari, Audi, and Porsche in the World Endurance Car Championship. Landing down with it is surprising features like, Hyper-efficient, powered by a hybrid powertrain, and equipped with an all-wheel drive. It levels up to deliver additional virtuous and sustainable(responsible) performance in both production and competition vehicles. The 9×8 Neo-Performance vision which is the project of the brand developed by combining a premium sporting pedigree with styling excellence, efficiency, and technological expertise that can be carried over to the road cars.

The latest Hypercar Challenger from PEUGEOT is called the PEUGEOT 9X8. 

• The “9” continues the production range of PEUGEOT 905, which lasted from 1990 to 1993 and 908, which became symbols for the company, for its recent top-flug endurance races.
• The “X” refers to the PEUGEOT Hyper car’s all-wheel drive and hybrid engine technology which integrates the brand’s motor racing electrification strategy.
• The ‘8’ is the suffix for all current PEUGEOT models, from the 208 and 2008, through the 308, 3008, 5008 and, of course, the 508, which have been very recently handed over by the engineers and designers that made the Hypercar the first vehicle of the Peugeot Sport Engineered badge.

The 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship will be completed by two PEUGEOT 9X8s.

The 9X8 being a PEUGEOT, the initial design that led our work depicted a large cat ready to pounce,” recalls Matthias HOSSANN, Director of Design at PEUGEOT. “The PEUGEOT 9X8 lines represent the style of the brand, while its sleek, rugged, beautiful shapes inspire dynamism and passion.”

The insignia on the front and rear of the 9X8 are known as the three claw-like strokes, while the new lion’s head emblem is backlit in front and side of the automobile. The Selenium Gray and contrasting Kryptonite acid green / yellow accents of both the body and the cockpit resonate with the new colour scheme launched with 508 and 508 SW for the new PEUGEOT SPORT ENGINEERED range.

The designers were likewise extremely attentive to the inside of the 9X8. Matthias HOSSANN emphasises that they wanted to adopt a specific approach to the cockpit, which until now was a simply practical and indistinguishable component of racing vehicles, and which had no brand identification. The combination of the colour scheme and the interior trademark of PEUGEOT I-Cockpit have created a distinctive feel to the 9X8 cockpit and make it easily recognisable as a Peugeot when you shoot in your camera.

‘WINGLESS’ – Making full use of the Le Mans Hypercar Regulation 

The absence of a rear wing on the PEUGEOT 9X8 is a major innovative step, we have achieved a degree of aerodynamic efficiency that allows us to do away with this feature. Don’t ask how, though! We have every intention of keeping that a secret as long as we possibly can!” says

Jean-Marc Finot, Stellantis, Motorsport Director

The new Le Mans Hypercar regulations were designed to make the standard performance-enhancement equipment significant,” says Olivier JANSONNIE, WEC Technical Director of Peugeot Sports’ Programme. Designing the 9X8 was an exciting experience, as they had the flexibility to develop, innovate and explore ways of optimising automobile performance and specifically aerodynamics. The regulations indicate that without defining the rear wing, only one adjustable aerodynamic device is allowed. Their calculations and simulations have demonstrated that good performance without one is effectively feasible. Removing a rear wing offered the liberty of designing the elegant, shape we have never seen in decades. In fact, the designer has used the chance to combine the dynamic and polished features, which form a clean, sweeping surface between the prominent wheel arches, with their engineering colleagues.

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