Peugeot 9X8

Peugeot 9X8

The 9X8 being driven at the 2024 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps
Category	Le Mans Hypercar
Constructor	Peugeot
Designer(s)	Matthias Hossann (Design Director) [1] Vadim Gilca (Exterior Designer) [2] Olivier Jansonnie (Technical Director) [3]
Predecessor	Peugeot 908
Technical specifications
Length	5,000 mm (197 in; 16 ft)
Width	2,080 mm (82 in; 7 ft)
Height	1,180 mm (46 in; 4 ft)
Wheelbase	3,045 mm (120 in; 10 ft)
Engine	Peugeot X6H [4] 2.6 litre V6 90° twin-turbo mid-engined, longitudinally mounted AWD (Peugeot Hybrid A) limited to 8,500 minutes inverse
Electric motor	Peugeot Sport-conceived front-mounted Separate motor-generator unit + single-speed reducer
Transmission	Sadev 7-speed sequential manual [4]
Battery	High-density 900-volt battery co-designed by Peugeot Sport, TotalEnergies/Saft
Power	671 bhp (680 PS; 500 kW) (Petrol) 268 bhp (272 PS; 200 kW) (Electric)
Fuel	TotalEnergies
Lubricants	TotalEnergies [4]
Brakes	Carbone Industrie carbon 380/365mm with AP Monobloc 6-piston calipers [4]
Tyres	Michelin slicks with OZ one-piece forged alloys, 31/71-18, [4] after 29/71-18 front and 34/71-18 rear
Competition history
Notable entrants	Peugeot Sport
Notable drivers	Paul di Resta Loïc Duval Mikkel Jensen Gustavo Menezes Jean-Éric Vergne James Rossiter Nico Müller Stoffel Vandoorne
Debut	2022 6 Hours of Monza
Last event	2024 8 Hours of Bahrain
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 18 0 2 0 1
Teams' Championships	0
Constructors' Championships	0
Drivers' Championships	0

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.

Peugeot states the 9X8's name to be a combination of multiple elements: 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. ^[5]

Development

On 13 November 2019, Peugeot announced its return to the WEC and 24 Hours of Le Mans for 2022 in the new Hypercar category. This debut was subsequently delayed, with Peugeot stating that "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". ^[6] The car eventually 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; the vehicle is allowed to have only one adjustable aerodynamic element without the FIA specifying what it should be, thus allowing Peugeot to do without the rear wing. ^{[7] [8]} The 9X8 is powered by a 500 kW (670 hp) twin-turbo 2.6 L V6 engine mated to a 7-speed sequential gearbox driving the rear wheels, while a 200 kW (270 hp) electric motor drives the front wheels. ^[5]

Peugeot's on-track testing program began in 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.

In April 2023, a Lego Technic 1:10 scale model of the 9X8 was announced. The set consists of 1,775 pieces and was released on May 1, 2023. ^[9]

Competition history

In the World Endurance Championship, the two Peugeots use numbers 93 and 94, as a reference to Peugeot's overall victory at the 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans. ^[10]

Peugeot 9X8 concept car at the 2023 Rétromobile Salon

Rear view of the 9X8

The No. 94 9X8 at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans

2022

Paul Di Resta, Loïc Duval, Mikkel Jensen, Gustavo Menezes, James Rossiter and Jean-Éric Vergne were nominated to share driving duties and form the crews of the two-car entry in the 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 program. The two 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. ^[11]

2023

The 9X8 saw its first full season in the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship. Rossiter would not return to the lineup and Nico Müller would instead share the driving duties for the full year in the #94. The wingless concept proved most effective at the 2023 24 Hours of Le Mans and 2023 6 Hours of Monza. Despite qualifying towards the back in the former, Peugeot would take the lead in the evening hours of the race before suffering heavy damage requiring repairs. At Monza, the 9X8 would score its first podium in the FIA World Endurance Championship by finishing 3rd.

2024

Peugeot returned to contest another full season in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Both lineups would be shuffled, and Stoffel Vandoorne would replace an outgoing Gustavo Menezes for the season. ^[12] At Qatar, the 9X8 would see arguably its most competitive race, as the #93 car would contest for the race win against the Porsche 963 s of Porsche Penske Motorsport before eventually retiring and later being disqualified for running out of fuel on the final lap and failing to join parc fermé at the end of the race. ^[13]

On 25 March 2024, Peugeot presented an updated version of the 9X8 with an added rear wing; the previous version of the 9X8 proved mostly uncompetitive due to its dependency on ground effect, especially harmed by uneven road surfaces like at Sebring (where WEC did not race in 2024). Peugeot also abandoned equal tyre widths, switching from 31 cm tyres all around to 29 cm tyres at the front and 34 cm at the rear like all its competitors. ^[14] The new concept made its first competitive appearance at the 2024 6 Hours of Imola. It scored its first podium at the 2024 8 Hours of Bahrain.

Complete World Endurance Championship results

(key) Races in bold indicates pole position. Races in italics indicates fastest lap.

Year	Entrants	Class	Drivers	No.	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Points	Pos
2022	Peugeot TotalEnergies	Hypercar			SEB	SPA	LMN	MON	FUJ	BHR			42	4th
			Paul di Resta	93				Ret	4	Ret
			Mikkel Jensen					Ret	4	Ret
			Jean-Éric Vergne					Ret	4	Ret
			Loïc Duval	94				4	5	4
			Gustavo Menezes					4	5	4
			Nico Müller							4
			James Rossiter					4	5
2023	Peugeot TotalEnergies	Hypercar			SEB	POR	SPA	LMN	MON	FUJ	BHR		67	5th
			Paul di Resta	93	9	7	8	6	3	8	9
			Mikkel Jensen		9	7	8	6	3	8	9
			Jean-Éric Vergne		9	7	8	6	3	8	9
			Loïc Duval	94	NC	5	9	9	11	7	8
			Gustavo Menezes		NC	5	9	9	11	7	8
			Nico Müller		NC	5	9	9	11		8
			Stoffel Vandoorne							7
2024	Peugeot TotalEnergies	Hypercar			QAT	IMO	SPA	LMN	SAP	COA	FUJ	BHR	57	6th
			Mikkel Jensen	93	DSQ	9	10	12	8	12	4	3
			Nico Müller		DSQ	9	10	12	8	12	4	3
			Jean-Éric Vergne		DSQ	9		12	8	12	4	3
			Paul di Resta	94	15	15	14	11	16	Ret	8	Ret
			Loïc Duval		15	15	14	11	16	Ret	8	Ret
			Stoffel Vandoorne		15	15		11	16	Ret	8	Ret
2025	Peugeot TotalEnergies	Hypercar			QAT	IMO	SPA	LMN	SAO	COA	FUJ	BHR	*	*
			Mikkel Jensen	93	9
			Paul di Resta		9
			Jean-Éric Vergne		9
			Loïc Duval	94	12
			Malthe Jakobsen		12
			Stoffel Vandoorne		12
Sources: [15] [16]

* Championship still ongoing.

References

1. "PEUGEOT 9X8 HYBRID HYPERCAR: ULTIMATE DESIGN". Stellantis North America . 20 January 2022. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. 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). Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
3. Watkins, Gary (27 November 2022). "Peugeot to complete first 24-hour test with 9X8 before Christmas". Motorsport.com . Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
4. "Entry List 2023" (PDF). 24 Hours of Le Mans (in French). Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 June 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
5. "Nouvelle Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar | Néo-performance par Peugeot Sport". www.peugeot.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 22 September 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
6. "Peugeot Sport Confirm No 9X8 Hypercar Debut Until After Le Mans | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
7. "24h du Mans : où en sont le programme Peugeot et la 9x8 ?". Auto moto : magazine auto et moto (in French). 18 August 2021. Archived from the original on 20 September 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
8. Géraldine Gaudy (20 July 2021). "Peugeot 9X8 (2022). Découvrez l'hypercar hybride au V6 biturbo !" (in French). L'Argus. Archived from the original on 23 August 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
9. 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. Archived from the original on 25 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
10. "What do Hypercar race numbers mean?".
11. "WEC: Peugeot 9X8 Hypercar to debut at Monza". Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 20 May 2022. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
12. Klein, Jamie (19 January 2024). "Peugeot Reveals Alteration to Driver Crews – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
13. Kilbey, Stephen (2 March 2024). "Penske Leads Porsche 1-2-3 In Qatar | dailysportscar.com". www.dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
14. Watkins, Gary (25 March 2024). "Peugeot reveals revised 9X8 Le Mans Hypercar with rear wing". motorsport.com. Retrieved 25 March 2024.
15. "Season 2022 Results". FIA World Endurance Championship. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
16. "Season 2023 Results". FIA World Endurance Championship. Archived from the original on 18 January 2024. Retrieved 11 June 2024.