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 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
150201
Teams' Championships0
Constructors' Championships0
Drivers' Championships0

Context

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On 13 November 2019, Peugeot announced its return to the WEC and the iconic 24 Hours of Le Mans for 2022 in the new Hypercar category, this debut was subsequently delayed, with Peugeot stating "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".[5] 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. Indeed, the latter allows the vehicle to have only one adjustable aerodynamic element without specifying what it should be, thus allowing Peugeot to do without the rear spoiler.[6][7]

The 9X8 is equipped with a 680 hp (500 kW) twin-turbo 2.6L V6 internal combustion engine mated to a 272 hp (200 kW) electric motor, all assembled in a 7-speed sequential gearbox.[8] Peugeot explains the name "9X8" for several reasons: 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.[8]

 
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

Peugeot’s on-track testing programme kicked off 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. Paul Di Resta, Loïc Duval, Mikkel Jensen, Gustavo Menezes, James Rossiter and Jean-Éric Vergne were nominated to share the driving duties and form the crews of the two-car entry in 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 programme. The two Peugeot 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.[9] Recently the #93 car came in 8th place and the #94 in 12th.

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

In April 2023, a Lego Technic model of the 9X8 was announced.This model recreated the 9X8 at a 1:10 scale. The set consists of 1,775 pieces and was released on May 1, 2023.[11]

On 25 March 2024 Peugeot presented an updated version of the 9X8 car with the introduction of a rear spoiler, since the previous version of 9X8 proved uncompetitive due to its dependency on ground effect, especially harmed by bumpy surfaces, like at Sebring (where WEC did not race in 2024). Peugeot also abandoned equal tyre widths, using 29cm tyres at the front and 34cm at the rear like all its competitors, instead of 31 cm tyres on both axles in the first model.[12]

Complete World Endurance Championship results

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(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
  Paul di Resta 93 Ret 4 Ret
  Mikkel Jensen Ret 4 Ret
  Jean-Éric Vergne Ret 4 Ret
  Loïc Duval 94 4 5 4
  Gustavo Menezes 4 5 4
  James Rossiter 4 5
  Nico Müller 4
2023 Peugeot TotalEnergies Hypercar SEB POR SPA LMN MON FUJ BHR 67 5th
  Paul di Resta 93 9 7 8 6 3 8 9
  Mikkel Jensen 9 7 8 6 3 8 9
  Jean-Éric Vergne 9 7 8 6 3 8 9
  Loïc Duval 94 NC 5 9 9 11 7 8
  Gustavo Menezes NC 5 9 9 11 7 8
  Nico Müller NC 5 9 9 11 8
  Stoffel Vandoorne 7
2024 Peugeot TotalEnergies Hypercar QAT IMO SPA LMN SAP COA FUJ BHR 57 6th
  Mikkel Jensen 93 DSQ 9 10 12 8 12 4 3
  Nico Müller DSQ 9 10 12 8 12 4 3
  Jean-Éric Vergne DSQ 9 12 8 12 4 3
  Paul di Resta 94 15 15 14 11 16 Ret 8 Ret
  Loïc Duval 15 15 14 11 16 Ret 8 Ret
  Stoffel Vandoorne 15 15 11 16 Ret 8 Ret
Sources:[13][14]

References

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  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. ^ "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.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ "What do Hypercar race numbers mean?".
  11. ^ 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.
  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.