Peugeot 9X8
The No. 94 9X8 at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans
Category 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]
Competition history
Notable entrantsFrance Peugeot Sport
Notable drivers
Debut2022 6 Hours of Monza
Last event2023 8 Hours of Bahrain
RacesWinsPodiumsPolesF/Laps
100101
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.

Context

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] Instead the car 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]

Regarding the engine, the 9X8 is equipped with a 680 hp (500 kW) twin-turbo 2.6L V6 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

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

Complete World Endurance Championship results

Results in bold indicate pole position. Results in italics indicate fastest lap. Results in (brackets) indicates finishing position in class, while position without brackets indicates overall finishing position

Year Entrant Class Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Points Pos[1]
2022 Peugeot TotalEnergies Hypercar SEB SPA LMN MON FUJ BHR
United Kingdom Paul di Resta 93 Ret 4 Ret 42 4th
Denmark Mikkel Jensen Ret 4 Ret
France Jean-Éric Vergne Ret 4 Ret
France Loïc Duval 94 33 20 4
United States Gustavo Menezes 33 20 4
United Kingdom James Rossiter 33 20
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 17 27 11 8
Belgium Stoffel Vandoorne 7

References

  1. ^ "PEUGEOT 9X8 HYBRID HYPERCAR: ULTIMATE DESIGN". Stellantis North America. 20 January 2022. 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). Retrieved 21 January 2023.
  3. ^ Watkins, Gary (27 November 2022). "Peugeot to complete first 24-hour test with 9X8 before Christmas". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Entry List 2023" (PDF). 24 Hours of Le Mans (in French). Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Peugeot Sport Confirm No 9X8 Hypercar Debut Until After Le Mans | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. 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. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  7. ^ Géraldine Gaudy (20 July 2021). "Peugeot 9X8 (2022). Découvrez l'hypercar hybride au V6 biturbo !" (in French). L'Argus.
  8. ^ a b "Nouvelle Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar | Néo-performance par Peugeot Sport". www.peugeot.fr (in French). Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  9. ^ "WEC: Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar to debut at Monza". Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  10. ^ 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. Retrieved 25 April 2023.


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