2023 Peugeot 9X8 #93
Pilots: P. di Resta, M. Jensen, J-E. Vergne
Team: Peugeot Total Energies
Race: 8th overall (LMH class) at Le Mans in 2023
Spark - S8729 (resin)
Published 01/21/24
Peugeot’s first win at La Sarthe was in 1995 with the 905, winning again the following year. Yet, even with the two wins, Peugeot abandoned the World Sportscar Championship to concentrate on F1. In 2007 they went back to La Sarthe, this time with the 908. And in 2009 the 908 #9 came in first place, with Peugeot running the car until 2011. For the next year FIA encouraged hybrid powertrains for LMP1 cars, and Peugeot began development of the 908 HYbrid4. However, with the manufacturer facing a financial crisis, they canned the project and abandoned endurance racing. Fast-forward to 2019, when FIA announced the new LMH (Hypercar class) for the 2020/2021 WEC season. On November 13th, Peugeot declared they would be back to endurance racing, with the new all-wheel drive 9X8 Hybrid. The new hypercar would debut in the 2022 24 Heures du Mans. And it was radical!
When first revealed to the public, the car sure caused a commotion. For the first time in modern racing, there was a wingless car on the grid. Despite being FIA and ACO-legal as a LMH (hypercar) car, the 9X8 had no rear wing. With results confirmed in wind tunnel testing, Peugeot simply ditched the rear wing. The needed downforce came from the overall shape of the car and many small aerodynamic details throughout the body. Without the need of a wing pressing down on the rear wheels, Peugeot could better distribute the car’s weight. And that meant better handling. And as expected, the chassis was a carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb monocoque. Nonetheless, the 9X8 was a hybrid, receiving power from an ICE and electric motor. The 2600 cm³ twin-turbo V6 delivered 500 kW (670 hp), while the electric motor delivered another 200 kW (268 hp).
Despite Peugeot’s confidence in the radical design, development was bumpy. Facing technical difficulties, the astonishing new car only debuted in July, at Monza, skipping Le Mans. The 2022 WEC championship became an extended testing season, however results were not good. At Monza, one of the 9X8 broke down, though the second car managed a fourth place. The following race, at Fuji, the cars finished in fourth and fifth. And at the last race, at Bahrain, another fourth place and a DNF. Now with a lot more data on the car, Peugeot had more confidence for the 2023 season. However, in the first three races the best result was a fifth-place finish. And then came the biggest race of the year, Le Mans. Better yet, it was the Centennial Le Mans race. Unfortunately, though, the 9X8 only managed a sixth (car #93) and a ninth place (car #94) finish.
The car’s best result in 2023 was a third place at Monza. So, in other words, the 9X8 was not a great car. The absence of the rear wing proved to be more of a hindrance than an asset. To the point that for 2024 Peugeot upgraded the car into the 9X8 Evo, with a conventional rear wing. The car was not a winning machine, however to me, it was awesome. I’m a huge fan of oddballs, and a wingless hypercar sure is an oddball. Being honest, THIS is the car that I think of when I think Hypercar. Not a winner, but to me the class’ archetype- yep, GRAIL model 😎! In scale Spark created a masterpiece, with great details and a K-I-L-L-I-N-G livery. Therefore, even if you’re not a Le Mans nut, I’m sure 9X8 #93 here would be a great buy.
PS: I listed this one as an art car. Oh yes, ART CAR. Why? Just take a look at Toyota’s second place Toyota GR010 #8. That livery climbed up the boring tree and fell down, hitting its head on every single branch. And now compare that boring corporate paint scheme to the car above 😖.
See my point?