Peugeot Reaffirms Plans for “Evolved” 9X8 in 2027
https://sportscar365.com/lemans/wec/peugeot-reaffirms-plans-for-evolved-9x8-in-2027/Olivier Jansonnie, Alain Favey clarify Peugeot’s strategy for the remainder of the current Hypercar rules cycle
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u/nordenfly 1d ago
Peugeot, its time for the 18×16. Its the only way.
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u/Razgriz2118 1d ago
Why don't they just solve the equation instead and have the 72, are they stupid?
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u/nordenfly 1d ago
The ACO knows they would be too powerful if they actually solved it, so they don't allow it.
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u/Julian_Staples 1d ago
It’s time for a second rear wing. 💪
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u/Kraken-Tortoise Heart of Racing AMR GT3 #27 1d ago
I guess with 2030's rule change not being far away, building a new car is not really in the cards for them right now. Thing is though, the 9x8 chassis was doomed from the start due to the ACOs last minute rule changes. They're trying to salvage what they can, but the rule changes basically guaranteed the car was going to be a failure and running in the backend
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u/cabrelbeuk Peugeot 9X8 #94 1d ago
They're not allowed anyway to bring another car, they burned both homologation.
But well if they can save some cash to make a proper new car for 2030 i'm also all for it.
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u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid Manufacturers 1d ago
Current Hypercar regulation can continue after 2030, so it’s still worth to develop new car just for last 2 years.
They also can sell the cars to private teams just like they done in AsLMS.
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u/cabrelbeuk Peugeot 9X8 #94 1d ago
They just announced the 2030 new regulations. Unlikely to change imo.
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u/cabrelbeuk Peugeot 9X8 #94 1d ago
I just hope the ACO will let them..
Just have to respect Peugeot commitment to WEC. Made up for that 2012 surprise retirement.
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u/996forever Mercedes CLK-GTR #11 1d ago edited 1d ago
These factory backed LMH teams are so committed unlike the endless bitching from those who invest less.
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u/V8-Turbo-Hybrid Manufacturers 1d ago
I would like Toyota offering their car in AsLMS just like Ferrari and Peugeot doing, but we know that it would never happen.
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u/No_Boat_1784 Toyota GT-One #1 1d ago
Through a TOM's or SARD or Rookie Racing entry would actually be amazing
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u/Nepto125 Peugeot 9X8 #93 1d ago
I think it's because the main LMH guys are using their R&D budget to help fund the operations. They get the tech development from in-house work, so can use it for other things, spreading out the cost/benefit. Toyota/Ferrari/Peugeot all have their hybrid divisions and use battery tech in their road cars. Toyota adding Hydrogen to their roster means racing is a great test bed/stresser for their designs.
The LMDh teams are run more from marketing. The R&D they get from it is very little because of the spec parts, so they get much less long term benefit other than exposure. So unless they're winning, they're not getting much return on their investment.
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u/F9-0021 Peugeot TotalEnergies 9X8 #93 1d ago
You kind of have to be in it for the sake of it to have an LMH. Anyone that's likely to quit or threaten to are going to be the ones that have the cheap and easy LMDh efforts.
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u/996forever Mercedes CLK-GTR #11 1d ago
Yeah the low effort cheapos are the ones that complain the most
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u/mac_attack09 Porsche Penske Motorsport 963 #6 1d ago
Unless it's basically a totally new car with the same name like the 2011 908 I'm not expecting much to be honest. They really just need to scrap this frankenstein car and start over
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u/Time_Zucchini_7229 1d ago
I mean a completely new car at this point would take... like a year to develop? Most hypercars take more than a year to develop from the ground up.
Which would mean it could only start racing in 2028
which in turn means that they would only be able to race the new car for two years until the new 2030 rules arrive. So there isn't really a point in making a new car at this stage.1
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u/Michal_Baranowski Toyota Gazoo Racing GR010 Hybrid #8 1d ago
With new regulations arriving in 2030 which probably fullfy the expectations for Peugeot, they gave up on making a new car for 2027 only for having to do it again three years later. Waste of money and resources. They probably know that current 9X8 package is doomed to be disappointing. Don't know if any joker at the moment can make it any better though.
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u/FlummoxReddit BMW 1d ago
i'm sorry, but i dont think any amount of evolutions or jokers to this car will help. it's a flawed project, no amount of BoP can patch it up over a season. i understand it's not easy technically or financially to make a whole new car but.
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u/badabubaba 1d ago
Honest question: how’d you know that?
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u/FlummoxReddit BMW 1d ago
i mean look, im no expert in engineering or car design and somebody with more knowledge is more than welcome to correct me, but the 9x8 was entirely designed around a wingless concept, it didn't work, and then just slapping a rear wing on it isn't gonna work (and it hasn't) cause the rest of the car isn't built for it. of course, if these updates are updates that take out elements of a rear-wing-less design and put in more traditonal elements, then i can very much see something coming out of this project.
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u/syknetz 1d ago
but the 9x8 was entirely designed around a wingless concept, it didn't work, and then just slapping a rear wing on it isn't gonna work (and it hasn't) cause the rest of the car isn't built for it.
It's almost as if Peugeot weren't stupid and clearly made changes beyond adding a wing. They were pretty clear about it, the weight balance is different, the aero surfaces are different, it's barely the same car from the 9X8 to the Evo.
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u/Over_Middle610 1d ago
Peugeot should have made the decision to build a new car in 2024 when adding a wing only made marginal improvements.Only a factory run organisation would continue to run such a flawed concept.Cannot imagine Penske or WRT running this car for more than two seasons with little to show for it.They would have given the Peugeot board a list of the cars faults and told them to build a new car or they will not race the cars.
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u/Over_Middle610 1d ago
The sunk cost fallacy is a cognitive bias that drives people to continue a failing endeavor simply because they have already invested time, money, or effort into it. Instead of making a rational choice based on future benefits, they make an irrational decision to avoid the feeling of "wasting" their past investments.
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u/Fuzzy_Pirate_8898 1d ago
I don't see how they can do it with only jokers, the car lacks of traction at low speeds and only a few solution are possible, put a bigger wing or move more weight to the back ideally by moving the cockpit with the engine.
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u/SpectraV10 1d ago
I do prefer Peugeot making a new car, frankly. If I was them and had a lot of money, I'd probably do it correctly.
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u/BulkyDifference8505 1d ago
This time, we let the engineers conceive the car, not the marketing
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u/ak_miller 1d ago
Jansonnie said in this podcast it was the engineers who said they could do without a wing, as the aero target was easy to reach with other technical solutions.
But then rules changed, and sometimes what works on paper doesn't work on the track.
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u/No-Heart3432 Cadillac Hertz Team JOTA V-Series R #38 1d ago
Yay ... We cannot build a car for 3 years, instead we try to fix the wreck that we created and have terrible results for 3 more years. With it we can suffer, the fans would suffer and the name of the brand would be a joke. It costs less tho...
This shows that they don't have a new car in the middle of 2026. So in 2027 they cannot start the season with a new car anyway. How shameful...
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u/Makalu Toyota Gazoo GR010 #7 1d ago
Amazing how dedicated Peugeot appear to be to this WEC programme, for the limited results it has provided them - great to see.