24 Hours of Le Mans
Peugeot 90X breaks cover
© Peugeot Sport
In parallel to its 2010 race programme with the 908 HDi FAP, Peugeot Sport has been busy designing and developing the prototype that will defend its colours in 2011.
Peugeot Sport’s principal mission accomplished
Having been kept secret in Peugeot Sport’s factory in Vélizy, near Paris, the team’s new endurance challenger – known under the codename 90X – has been out for its first track test. “Our intention was to take it out onto a track before the end of the year,” says Peugeot Sport Director Olivier Quesnel. “I am pleased to report that we have now done that. Even so, there is still a long way to go and a considerable amount of work to be done as we prepare for 2011.”
The 90X’s technical characteristics
The 90X complies with the ACO’s 2011 regulations, and notably incorporates a shark fin appendix on the engine cover. This new feature is designed to prevent the car from going airborne in the case of a high-speed spin. As it did for the 908 HDi FAP, Peugeot Sport has opted for a closed cockpit, while the car meets the mandatory 900kg weight requirement.
“We are still exploring several options with regard to the engine and technology we will use,” points out Bruno Famin, the Technical Director of Peugeot Sport. “Work on the engine’s development is ongoing. Endurance racing is a proving ground that provides us with an opportunity to showcase all the brand’s technologies.”
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Looks very evolutionary to me, not exactly a radical new design. Even seems to include an old 905 engine intake on the roof!
Can’t say I’m ever going to like the look of the new breed of prototypes with that ugly great fin down the back :(
At least it’s a coupé.
I’d rather see a number of cars flip over during a season than these truly ridiculous shark fins…
GYYYYYAAHHHHH! I agree Robert that shark fin’s an eyesore no doubt. RIP IT OFF!
HORRID springs to mind! It’s something we’re gonna have to get used to by the looks of it though. Anyhow, what’s the point in these fins? I mean, isn’t speed the real issue to deal with NOT lifting?
The fin makes even less sense considering that not a single LeMans prototype had flip over on it’s own in two years, thanks to the regulations that were put in place in 2009.
@Tonio31
Benoit Treluyer got sideways in his Pescarolo-entered 908 at Le Mans 2009. The car got airborne and rolled (into a small ball).
You can clearly see that the 90X is nothing more than a 908 with a couple of new bits all in black carbonfibre:
-New SharkFin
-New Endplate
-New vanes on the sideponts.
-New swingneck rear wing.
I would had hoped for more coming from a Manufacturer…
I know their budget is not that great and that all the money would have to be employed on the engine side. They still haven´t build the hydrid-e system so…
I forgot:
-New Central Air Intake for the engine´s turbo inlet.
That fin is just a quickly-built thing to test the new regulations – I’m sure it will look better integrated into the car’s shape in the final design. It will give better aerodynamic stability and more space for advertising…
something else for the oil and flames to spray up when their engines expire at le mans next year.
@Pandamasque Did it flip on its own, or did it hit something first?
@kw
I agree, there’s no way they’re going to leave it that color. They will probably incorporate it into the 2011 livery, as this car still has the 2010 livery, which obviously didn’t include the fin.
There’s no lip on the fin, why would it do anything to stop a sideways flip? I would’ve thought the engine intake over the cockpit would do an ok job, it’s got a little rut there to trap air.
I’d say that’s a bollock excuse at saying – we’re trying to implement this horrible looking aero device, but if we say it’s for safety everyone will be fine with it.
But agree – all F1′d out and in Pug colours it won’t look that bad – I think the Renault F1 car is perhaps the most gorgeous car ever, it has one.
The Peugeot 90X practicallylooks the same as the last 5 years… LOL I’m not sure but maybe the open cocpit prototypes may not have the shark fin! Well, the LOLA open cocpit prototope has one on it! Lets hope Audi Is a Bi-Turbo Diesel-Hybrid engine.
I am hoping Aud Is overall lighter in weight, has the most amount of power allowed given and since there is no limit on Torque, I hope Audi has a significant amont more orque that Peugeot! Who know, The New Audi is based off the 2010-spec. Audi R15 PLUS TDI… I just hope the Audi is a Bi-Turbo Diesel-Hybrid engine and an open cocpit and more efficient than the 90X. maybe laping it an extra lap or 2 the the90X!
Does anybody know if Audi will show off their Prototype b4 the end of this year!??
Formula one cars used to look nice until they got the shark fins. Then endurance racing was the only source of beautiful cars. Now that is gone because of the chark fin.
@Kris
Don’t know when they’re releasing it, but I’ve heard the new Audi will be a closed top. Also, all prototypes, open or closed top, must have the shark fin.
I dont see why the shark fin has to look like that why cant they do what the F1 cars do and mould it up into the rear wing?
How many sportscar prototypes flipped in 2010? As far as I can tell, none! Lets do away with this wing, it literally serves no purpose that I can see. It costs money to develope, it makes the cars look ugly, and it only helps safety in an area that was totally safe before!
Unless its there for advertising space it should be removed, and if it is there for ads then thats a sad statement on sportscars!
I hope those fin things break off during the first 5 laps of the races…and not have to replace the engine cover…
I read somewhere that the reason Peugeot have left the fin black is so that at a glance you only see the sculpted aerodynamic shape of the bodywork. Apparently they don’t like having the fin either.