05 January 2023
When you think of Peugeot, motorsport doesn’t immediately jump to mind. Peugeot’s reputation has traditionally been for making well-built cars with excellent ride comfort and handling.
It is easy to forget the three overall Le Mans 24-hour victories in 1992, 1993 and 2009.
Not relatively easy to forget, the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP back in 2009, the one with the 5.5-litre turbo diesel engine designed with a 100° V-angle to reduce the engine’s overall centre of gravity and drop-dead gorgeous looks.
Watch out; feast your eyes on the Peugeot 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar this year. As to the design, Peugeot launched a competition between designers. The result is outstanding.
The return to endurance racing, particularly the 9X8, has been in the melting pot for the last three years. It is hoped that the 9X8 will be race ready for Le Mans; Peugeot is currently keeping its cards close to their chest.
The new 9X8 hybrid hypercar features a 2.6-litre turbocharged V6 engine paired with a 200kW (268bhp) electric motor
Jean-Marc Finot, the senior vice-president of motorsport, said, ‘Our way of deciding the racing programme depends on three pillars. It has to be in the brand’s DNA, with a good technology message. We have to be competitive, and we need to have a good return on investment.’
The good return on investment is largely measured by the impact on the sale of family cars, especially the success of hybridisation.
The school run could take on a whole new meaning.
