Peugeot has released the first images of its World Endurance Championship racing car but hasn’t yet confirmed when it’ll make its competitive debut.
The French brand posted the first image of the 9X8 on track on its social media channels, and it appeared to be sporting a small rear wing. It’s not yet confirmed whether the car will race with or without rear aerodynamics. However, the latest set of images once again show it without a wing, and this is believed to be the direction the programme is heading in.
The 9X8 is a successor to both the 905 of the early ’90s and 908 of the late ’00s, both of which won at Le Mans. Peugeot has yet to confirm exactly when the car will make its competitive debut but has now said it won’t be in Florida for the curtain-raising 1,000 Miles of Sebring on 18 March. Beyond that, the only official word from the manufacturer is that the pair of 9X8s “will make their maiden race appearance in the course of the season”.
Under the bodywork, the 9X8 is powered by a rear-mounted, 2.6-litre, twin-turbo, 671bhp petrol V6 engine, combined with a front-mounted 268bhp electric motor and a seven-speed sequential gearbox. Peugeot’s Hypercar driving squad, which was announced in late 2020, consists of Paul di Resta, Loic Duval, Mikkel Jensen, Kevin Magnussen, Gustavo Menezes, and Jean-Eric Vergne, with James Rossiter serving as reserve and simulator driver.
All this racing pedigree filters down to the production vehicles on showroom floors today. Contact us on 021 413 9800 or visit CMH Peugeot Cape Town at the Corner of Nelson Mandela Boulevard & Christiaan Barnard Street, Foreshore, Cape Town for further information.