Peugeot has officially unveiled its Le Mans Hypercar, which it will use for its return to global endurance racing and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The car, called the Peugeot 9X8, has been built to the Automobile Club de l’Ouest’s Le Mans Hypercar regulations, which were introduced at the beginning of the 2021 season.
It will be powered by a rear-engined, 2.6 litre twin turbo V6 engine producing 500 kW (680 horsepower), combined with a front-mounted 200 kW motor generator unit and a 900V battery.
The aggressive-looking 9X8 features no rear-wing, with the body producing the required downforce thanks to large venturi channel and a small spoiler, massively cutting down on drag down the straights.
The French manufacturer will be operating a two-car factory effort in the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship.
Six drivers have already been named as part of Peugeot’s return to prototype racing: Kevin Magnussen, Jean-Eric Vergne, Loic Duval, Gustavo Menezes, Mikkel Jensen and Paul di Resta. James Rossiter has been named as the test and reserve driver.
Peugeot officially announced its intention to return to Le Mans for the first time since 2011 at last year’s edition of the French endurance classic.
It holds three overall victories, having won the race in 1992, 1993 and 2009. Peugeot was originally supposed to enter the first season of the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2012, before pulling out at the last minute as it was feeling the effects of the global economic crisis.
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