Peugeot will build you a bespoke hypercar if you have deep enough pockets.
The Peugeot 9X8 hypercar built for endurance racing in the Le Mans Hypercar class may soon have a roadgoing variant, but only if one true fan of the French brand asks for it.
When the rules for this class were first discussed, manufacturers were told that they would have to build roadgoing versions of their entrants. Along with that rule, the long-rumored Toyota hypercar was eventually scrapped. Then you have brands like Aston Martin, which did go ahead with a road-legal hypercar in the form of the Valkyrie. There's also a track-only variant, but it's not competing in the FIA's World Endurance Championship as initially planned.
This brings us to Peugeot. It competes in the WEC but does not have a roadgoing version of the 9X8. However, it is open to the idea if someone writes a large enough check, reports Top Gear.
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Linda Jackson, CEO of Peugeot, was quizzed by the British publication about the prospect of turning the uniquely wingless WEC racer into a road car. “No. It's not in the pipeline,” she said. “If you're going to come with a black check, we can always talk. It's one of those things where if somebody were to come along, then why not? But nobody has come along yet. Maybe I've opened the door now? We might have somebody come along; you never know,” Jackson added.
But are there enough fans of the French automaker? Except for Bugatti and Alpine, most French brands are not globally adored. Moreover, those who do understand the French automotive approach generally associate its products with intriguing design, luxury-focused tech, and not high performance.
Then again, Alpine managed to catch the eye of Hollywood. Who's to say Peugeot can't do the same?
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All it takes is one wealthy French patriot, and a genuinely unusual and exclusive hypercar may be born. According to Forbes, as reported by Le Monde, France has more than 40 billionaires. Surely one of them wants to build something filled with French flair, right? Maybe not. France's car culture is very different from other parts of the world, and an automobile is not generally considered a status symbol you purchase to show off with; it's just a means of transportation to most.
However it comes to fruition, we hope the 9X8's twin-turbo V6 goes on to motivate a road car someday. More importantly, we hope other automakers provide such an exciting offer.
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Keyword: Peugeot Will Build Road-Going Version Of Le Mans Hypercar... For A Price