24 Hours Le Mans

Peugeot 9X8: Le Mans Hypercar Revealed Ahead of 2022 Race Debut

Peugeot has officially unveiled their new hypercar challenger Peugeot 9X8, the model is expected to make its debut in the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2022 (FIA WEC).

The new Peugeot 9X8 is powered by a hybrid power unit with all-wheel-drive transmission, the hyper-efficient prototype fits the Neo-performance strategy of the Peugeot and is a brand-driven project for the French car maker. It combines premium sporting with styling excellence as well as efficiency and technology.

The name Peugeot 9X8 blends with the notion of heritage, the ‘9’ refers to the icons of the brand such as the Peugeot 905 which raced from 1990 to 1993 and the Peugeot 908 which raced from 2007 to 2011. The ‘X’ refers to the hybrid powertrain and the all-wheel-drive technology whereas ‘8’ is the suffix number currently used on all the Peugeot model names from 208, 2008, 308, 3008, 508 and 5008.

The exterior of the new 9X8 prototype features front and rear lighting signatures in the form of three claw-like strokes, lion’s head logo at the front and sides of the car in backlit form, wing vents and Selenium Grey and contrasting Kryptonite acid green/yellow highlights of the body and the interior.

In addition, the interior features a combination of Peugeot color scheme and i-cockpit styling signature for a unique appearance and feel.

The absence of the rear wing on the 9×8 prototype is an innovative step from Peugeot engineering team, the absence of the rear spoiler provides a freedom to design a sleek silhouette, maximises the potential of the Le Mans Supercar regulations and the model is still able to easily achieve a high degree of aerodynamic efficiency.

The rear part of the vehicle is mounted with a 2.6L bi-turbo, 90-degree V6 internal-combustion engine with an output of 680hp whereas the front-mounted features a 200kW motor-generator unit, seven-speed sequential gearbox and a high-voltage (900 volts) and high-density battery.

PEUGEOT 9X8

July 8, 2021 / Comments Off

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Lotus E-R9 Electric Racer Previews Le Mans in 2030

Lotus has taken a shot at what the future of enduro racing could look like, with the new E-R9, a new design study for the next generation of full electric vehicles as their vision 2030.

E-R stands for Endurance Racer while 9 is the car’s competition number which was chosen in tribute to Lotus’ racing past. In 1955, the Lotus Mark IX made its appearance at Le Mans 24 Hours meaning if the E-R9 is to race in 2030, it would be in celebration of the Mark IX’s 75th anniversary.

The E-R9 is finished in Black and Gold and features a fighter jet-style canopy mounted in a delta-wing upper body in the center. Changes include improved active aerodynamics with “morphing” body panels and vertically mounted control surfaces to assist with high-speed cornering.

The main aerodynamic transformations in the E-R9 are the Morphing body panels found across the delta-wing profile, the flexibility allows active surfaces to change their shape and attitude to the air flow by either a touch of a button or performance sensors which would provide minimum drag on the straight and maximum downforce in the corners. Vertical control surfaces at the rear distribute aerodynamic forces to help the car change direction without limiting the grip at the tyre contact patch.

The E-R9 powers each wheel independently thanks to the advanced electric powertrain system enhanced with torque-vectoring and would be fully adjustable by the driver while on the move. One of the engineers announced that they are developing mixed cell chemistry batteries that will improve the performance as well as enable “hot-swap” during pit stops.

February 18, 2021 / Comments Off

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Peugeot 9X8: Le Mans Hypercar Revealed Ahead of 2022 Race Debut

Lotus E-R9 Electric Racer Previews Le Mans in 2030