And first of all news of the Peugeot 9X8!
If you do not see what this name corresponds to, it is normal. This is the code for the car that will soon line up at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in the hypercar category. That is to say a hybrid car of 680 hp. The lion brand has designed a racing car without a rear wing. A bold technological choice. And what’s more, it’s a beautiful car with very neat aesthetics. The specifications were to make an iconic, efficient, emotional car. And the goal is for it to be recognized at night, on the Sarthe circuit, with a 3-claw light signature. Her gray robe is called kryptonite. This is not a joke. It is the same as that of the 508 PSE. And to make the link with the production car, you should also know that the 9X8 takes up the concept of the i-cockpit characteristic of Peugeots with a small steering wheel and a screen in the line of vision.
The boss of the Stellantis group is once again attacking Brussels’ choices regarding electricity
Carlos Tavares, who leads the group formed by the merger between PSA and Fiat-Chrysler, believes that “electrification is a technology chosen by politicians, not by industry”. According to him, however, there were faster and more effective, and above all less expensive, means to drastically reduce the CO2 balance of the automotive industry. “Given the current European energy mix, an electric car needs to travel 70,000 km to offset the carbon footprint of battery manufacturing and start catching up with a mild hybrid vehicle, which costs half as much as an electric vehicle” , says the CEO. He also castigates “a brutal change, involving a significant social risk”, about the deadline of 2035 which will ban heat engines in Europe. “We risk (…) losing the middle classes who will no longer be able to buy a car and there will be social consequences”, says Carlos Tavares again.
Volkswagen and Bosch invest in battery cells
The automaker is going to ally with the equipment manufacturer as part of a joint venture. The objective is to create a new European supplier of battery cells. It is an important part of the added value of electric cars, and it is currently dominated by Asian suppliers. Volkswagen wants to open six cell “mega-factories” in Europe by 2030 in order to establish itself in this market. For Bosch, it is a way of returning, through the back door, to this market which it had decided to abandon in 2018, due to the accumulated delay vis-à-vis its competitors.
And then, some news from the world of vintage cars
And we first talk about Retromobile. The famous show, which was to be held in February, has been postponed from March 16 to 20, Porte de Versailles. The event provides a tribute to Amédée Gordini, to the youngtimers of Group A, to the vehicles of the National Gendarmerie, and it will also be an opportunity to see the unique reproduction of the Fardier de Cugnot. The 31st edition of the Tour Auto will take place from April 25 to 30. The competitors will set off from Paris towards Andorra, via stages in La Baule, Limoges, Bordeaux and Pau. And if all goes well, Le Mans Classic will take place from June 30 to July 3. It is the largest gathering of vintage cars with 600 racing cars on the track and 8,500 vintage cars. !