Peugeot's eye-popping 9X8 hypercar is finally set to roll. It'll join the FIA World Endurance Championship for the season's fourth race at Monza in a couple of weeks, bringing a truly outrageous look to the hypercar class if nothing else.
Performance-wise, the 9X8 will work against the same limits the Toyota, Alpine and Glickenhaus hypercars have to: Michelin tires, a minimum weight of 1030 kg (2271 lb), and a limited maximum of 500 kW (671 hp), split between a combustion engine and an electric motor.
Peugeot has gone for a 2.6-liter biturbo V6 engine at the rear wheels – the smallest engine in the class so far, but it's capable of a peak 520 kW (697 hp) all by itself if the limiters are taken off. The electric motor driving the front wheels, meanwhile, peaks at 200 kW (360 hp), running off a high-density 900-volt battery pack designed in conjunction with TotalEnergies, Saft and ACC.
Peugeot has had some success in world-class endurance racing in the past, probably peaking in the early 90s, with a World Endurance Championship constructors' title in 1992 and total ownership of the podium at the 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Time will tell if the 9X8 has similar championship DNA, but on looks alone this thing will make a splash. Completely devoid of a rear wing, it looks like it could take off and fly you to Coruscant at any minute, and its enormous triple-slash headlights and shard-like taillights (designed to echo the Peugeot Sport logo) look absolutely wicked.
Its first race will be the relatively brief six hours of Monza in Italy on July 10. Jump into the Peugeot 9X8 hybrid hypercar gallery for more shots of this beauty.
Source: Peugeot