Peugeot is set to make its return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a hybrid-powered hypercar, and here is our first look at what the street-legal production version of its endurance racer could look like.
The French manufacturer confirmed it will compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship from 2022, with an all-new race car built alongside Swiss LMP1 team Rebellion Racing.
Aside from the fact it will use some form of hybrid technology, as per the rules, Peugeot is yet to confirm any more powertrain details for its Le Mans contender.
But whatever its mechanical makeup, Peugeot will have to produce at least 20 road-legal examples of the model, as per FIA regulations.
PSA Motorsport director said Jean-Marc Finot said Rebellion's current LMP1 program will be merged into Peugeot Sport's operation based in Satory near Paris.
“The program will kick off in 2022 and we are extremely happy to be teaming up with one of endurance racing’s big names,” he said.
“Rebellion Racing’s experience in the WEC will be a big asset as we put together the strongest possible team for our program, and this was corroborated by the team’s recent victory in Shanghai.
“The roles will be divided as a function of our respective competencies but we will form a single entity working out of Versailles-Satory.”
Shortly afterwards, Peugeot chief executive Jean-Philippe Imparato tweeted this rendering of what appears to be a development of the brand’s 2017 virtual racer for the PlayStation GranTurismo video game, alongside the caption: “Maybe the car will look like this?”.
It’ll mark the first time in over a decade since Peugeot competed at Le Mans following its withdrawal from the WEC in 2012. It won Le Mans in 1992, 1993 and, with the 3.7-litre twin-turbo diesel V8-powered 908 HDi FAP, in 2009.
As we’ve reported, the replacement of current LMP1 regulations with a hypercar class is designed to reduce costs and brings a potential budget cap of around $3.8 million.
We’ll have to sit tight for further details on the cutting-edge French race – and road – car, which will aim to win Peugeot’s fourth Le Mans crown by beating Toyota and Aston Martin.