Peugeot Sport has recently announced one of the successful testing of the new model 9X8 HyperCar. The testing drive occurred at the Motorland Aragon. Though the team hasn’t come out with any official date of the cars’ debut yet, it has dismissed the speculation of starting as the 2022 FIA WEC season-opener at the Sebring, this March.

The Official Declaration

Jean-Marc Finot, the director of Stellantis Motorsport, has recently made an official statement by saying that, the Peugeot TotalEnergies team is not going to join the first round of the total six in the 2022 racing calendar, scheduled to kick off this March at Sebring, Florida. He also added that the 9X8 model is going to make its racing debut solely on the basis of its readiness, competitiveness, and reliability levels. The organizers of the championship are going to keep a tab of the development program of the model and deliver regular updates on the progression. Peugeot also confirmed that this new car model is testing without any rear wing, which is in its conceptual stage. The finalized version of the car will be submitted for homologation, after a series of continuing test programs.

The Features of the Model

Designed as per the Le Mans Hypercar ruleset of ACO, the 9X8 model features a powertrain, combining a rear-mounted 2.6-liter bi-turbo petrol V6. It delivers power over 680 hp or 500 kW. It also comes with all-wheel drive transmission and a front-mounted 200 kW motor-generator unit. Peugeot Sport, TotalEnergies, and its subsidiary Saft have jointly developed the high-density battery of the racing car. According to Olivier Jansonnie, the Technical Director of Peugeot Sport’s WEC program, the configuration of the 9X8 model is completely permitted by the ACO/FIA hypercar regulations. After homologation, the rudimentary design of the final 9X8 model will be sealed for the next 3 years, until 2025.

The new Flying Spur V8 model of Bentley is unapologetic in being a Bentley. The lesser Bentley sedan has been suffering from this identity crisis since its 2005 launch, unable to capture the essence and luxuriousness that is synonymous with this revered automaker. The first-gen Spur was only able to give an impression of being just a large European luxury sedan, while this new model is recognizable as a Bentley at just a glance! Let’s check out what has made this one stands out in the Bentley bunch.

The Appearance

The Flying Spur V8 is a Bentley through and through, but first and foremost, it is so in its appearance. Large and unapologetically imposing, the new Spur rides on a 125.7 inches wheelbase, which is five times greater than the old Spur. The in-between space of the A-pillar and the front wheel is grafted with much of that additional space. These new proportions have made the car convincingly more Bentley-ish.

The Motion

The predecessors of this new model split torque 50/50, from front to rear. But unlike them, this V8 car is effectively a rear-wheel-drive until wheel slip is detected. Built from the same platform as the Panamera of Porsche, this 5000 plus pound road hog feels surprisingly sporty. Despite its sheer size and heavy accessories, this Spur is certainly more agile with its four-wheel-steering system. And that’s not all! With disciplined body motions, the movements of this car on road are more composed and serious, making it a perfect Bentley.

The Interior

The interior of the Flying Spur V8 is also easy to get used to. The brand has done a great job incorporating the VW Group technology and switchgear into the interior. This delivers roughly the same ambiance as the cigar room of an exclusive club! The dark gray-colored, diamond-stitched leather reveals a subtle green overtone under sunlight, which completely complements the Barnato green exterior of this car. So immaculately British, and impenitently Bentley!