Olivier Jansonnie and Jean-Marc Finot, respectively WEC technical director of Peugeot Sport and director of Stellantis Motorsport, reveal the design secrets of the Peugeot 9X8 hybrid hypercar, devoid of rear wing. Aerodynamics, engine, road version… The Argus tells you everything.
Peugeot has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times: 1992, 1993 and 2009. The manufacturer with the lion is taking advantage of the introduction of the new Hypercar class to replace LMP1 (accompanied by a lowering of the budget ceiling imposed on teams) to return to it through the WEC World Endurance Championship. The car, named 9X8, will race from 2022. But not at Le Mans since Peugeot decided at the end of February to only commit in 2023 to test his car. The French firm will not be alone. Porsche, Audi, Ferrari and Cadillac have also announced their return to the highest level of endurance racing for 2023, as has compatriot Alpine for 2024, and Toyota intends to retain its current dominance in the discipline. BMW, which has promised to return to the American IMSA endurance championship, could follow suit.
Porsche, holder of the number of trophies at Le Mans, will aim for a more than symbolic twentieth coronation. The year 2023 will also be that of the centenary of the race and the thirtieth anniversary of Peugeot’s hat-trick. To add a little more pressure, the Sochaliens want to make an impression with a car devoid of a rear wing, knowing that no vehicle with such bodywork has won at Le Mans since 1971. The atypical silhouette which results from this choice is enhanced by a very studied style, the design team having been very involved in giving the prototype a clearly recognizable visual identity like that of a Peugeot.
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Performance meets style
“” The idea of doing without a rear wing came in the wind tunnel in September 2020.“
Surprisingly, the idea of a car without a rear wing did not come from the designers. Hypercar regulations lead to lower performance than in LMP1, especially in terms of aerodynamics. And, according to Peugeot, the level of performance dictated by the FIA can be achieved without this appendage. Olivier Jansonnie, WEC Technical Director of Peugeot Sport, tells us:
” Initially, we were studying two concepts in parallel. One was close to an LMP1 in terms of styling, with a rear wing and diffuser as we know them; the other looked more like a road hypercar, more original, very different. We have started testing both in CFDs (computer simulation of fluid dynamics, editor’s note), and these trials showed that the two approaches exhibited similar performance. We then decided to continue with the second project. The idea of doing without a rear wing came in the wind tunnel, in September 2020. And, to be honest, when we first talked to our design colleagues about it, we weren’t sure how they were going to take it! These studies by the technical department and those carried out in parallel by the styling team were then pooled to converge on the current design of the 9X8. ” But nothing replaces on-track testing. […] And for now, track tests validate our CFD simulations “, cautiously rejoices the chief engineer.
However, there is no question for the moment of revealing in detail the aerodynamic solution to compensate for the absence of a rear wing. Significant work has been done under the car, but the 9X8’s secret might not end there. Peugeot also refrains from indicating which is the mobile aerodynamic element of the 9X8, the regulations only authorizing one part of this type. Several configurations may still be tested. The possibilities of changing settings from one race to another are very limited by these regulations, which influences the potential viability of the bodywork without wing, whose final validation is therefore awaited.
“” For now, track tests validate our CFD simulations. »“
A Peugeot with Citroën and Maserati genes
The Hypercar class is divided into two categories. The Peugeot 9X8 is an LMH developed entirely in-house (chassis, propulsion, bodywork, etc.), while the LMDhs of certain competing teams share their hybrid system designed by Williams and Bosch and must be equipped with a Ligier, Oreca, Dallara or Multimatic.
“” Some engineers worked on the hybrid technology of the 508 PSE. […] We also called on engineers who were involved in the design of the Nettuno engine at Maserati. »“
The heat engine remains the trump card of each brand. The 9X8 is powered by a 2.6 V6 twin-turbo rear open at 90°, developing 680 hp (500 kW) and combined with a 272 hp (200 kW) front electric motor. It also has all-wheel drive. According to the regulations, the combined power must not exceed 500 kW, or 680 hp. On the track, race management follows the power management of each car directly, which is transmitted to it in real time. Beyond this power, a minimum weight of 1,030 kg, maximum energy consumption and a crucial balance of performance (BoP), the teams enjoy a certain freedom of design. The first version of the regulations indicated a maximum power of 585 kW (795 hp) and a minimum weight of 1,100 kg. Peugeot then thought of using a turbocharged V8.
” But no engine derived directly or indirectly from a series block could achieve this performance. explains Jean-Marc Finot, director of Stellantis Motorsport, according to whom the lowering of these ceilings (aimed at converging the regulations of the world and American championships) has encouraged manufacturers to commit. The man points out, without masking his own astonishment, that a WRC entry now costs more than a Hypercar program. The decision to switch to the V6 was taken in February 2020. If it is new, the engine of the 9X8 is the work of the combined know-how of several brands of the Stellantis group. ” The design of this V-mechanism benefits from Peugeot’s experience in this area, and certain engineers have worked on the hybrid technology of the 508 PSE. Some internal elements, such as the combustion chambers, are derived from Citroën blocks from WRC. We also called on engineers who participated in the design of the Nettuno engine at Maserati (new V6 biturbo from the MC20, editor’s note), engineers who had previously worked on the Ferrari V8 “, Details the great manitou of the sports activities of the Franco-Italian-American giant. The electric motor on the front axle comes from the DS Formula E single-seater.
A road-going Peugeot 9X8 possible
The Peugeot PSE electrified sports range seems to be in trouble, and its possible abandonment may make the WEC entry with a hybrid seem like an anomaly in terms of image for the lion brand, which is turning towards the all-electric. But Stellantis has more ideas when it comes to the 9X8. The constraints of the Hypercar category open the door to the marketing of road derivatives of these racing cars, like in the heyday of the GT1s. This is especially true for manufacturers who opt for an LMH. ” A road version of the 9X8 is possible. It’s not planned at the moment, but we could think about it. We need to find an economic model that works “reveals Jean-Marc Finot. The technology embedded in its 900 V battery, which allows very fast recharging, will of course be found on the group’s standard vehicles according to him. ” The 9X8 serves as a laboratory for our electrification technologies and to promote low-CO performance2 “, he explains.
After the hybrid, hydrogen?
Peugeot’s participation in the WEC could extend beyond 2025, according to the manager, via maintenance of the current rules by the sports authorities. ” If we are six, seven or eight car manufacturers involved, it would be sad if the FIA, the ACO and the IMSA put an end to this program “, he believes. Until then, it does not exclude that the technical base of the 9X8 is used by one or more other brands of Stellantis to race in countries where Peugeot is not distributed, in particular in the United States in IMSA. ” It’s a possibility, but nothing is planned “, he specifies. Such a strategy could be likened to a transposition in racing of the policy of modular platforms that the group is implementing, like its competitors, for its road vehicles.
In the longer term, regarding endurance, Jean-Marc Finot is considering hydrogen. ” We all think the next step will be the fuel cell. But there is still a lot of work to be done to make this happen. “, he explains. He then recalls that Stellantis already markets hydrogen utilities, but that the lack of infrastructure is currently directing this technology towards road transport rather than towards passenger vehicles. For now, the attention of Jean-Marc Finot, Olivier Jansonnie and their teams is focused on the 9X8. The presentation of the car in its final form and the program for its entry into competition are fast approaching. See you soon here to discover them.
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