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Le Mans: Peugeot presenta su 90X de 2011


Finalmente Peugeot ha dado a conocer la imagen del vehículo con el que competirán a partir de 2011. El secretismo y oscurantismo con el que la marca de Vélizy acostmbra a llevar sus proyectos deportivos se rompía ayer cuando el semanario británico Autosport pubicaba la primera imagen de unos tests recientes en Monza.

Apenas unas horas después Peugeot ya ha comunicado de forma oficial más detalles de su nueva arma: el 90X. Acorde a la nueva normativa de 2011, el 90X equipa la conocida aleta de tiburón ya vista en otros coches del año próximo, como el Aston Martin o las diferentes variantes construidas por Lola. Siguiendo la tradición de Peugeot en resistencia, se trata de un coche cerrado éso sí y con un peso de 900 kilogramos tal y como establece el reglamento.

"Nuestra intención era rodar con el nuevo LMP en pista antes de que acabase el año y lo hemos conseguido. Pese a ello todavía tenemos mucho trabajo por hacer para preparar convenientemente el 2011", eran las palabras del principal responsable deportivo del Grupo PSA, Olivier Quesnel.

Más enigmático era sin embargo Bruno Famin, cabeza visible del departamento técnico, al señalar que "todavía estamos explorando diferentes opciones respecto al motor y la tecnología que usaremos. Los trabajos en el motor prosiguen, dado que la resistencia es una competición que nos permite mostrar todas las tecnologías de calle de Peugeot".

A falta de que se dé a conocer el aspecto del nuevo Audi, los otros dos grandes favoritos a la victoria en la edición de 2011, Peugeot y Aston Martin, ya han hecho públicas sus nuevas armas.

Christian Traginer para SportMotores.es

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Una comparacion entre el 908 vs 90x

Take a look at the differences between the 90X, the 908 and Audi's R15 plus challenger from 2010. (908 and R15 images by Marshall Pruett/90X images by Peugeot Sport)





(1: The Peugeot 908 held such a large horsepower advantage over its rivals, the Peugeot Sport team never had the need to completely re-do its aerodynamics, but for the 90X, the car's aerodynamics are brand-new from the centerline of the front axle rearwards. Peugeot has gone to a roof-mounted air intake -- similar to the Toyota GT-One -- replacing the large snorkels on the 908's sidepods. Smaller snorkels are used on the 90X, most likely to feed the rear brake ducts. The next major change is to the rear fenders, with the wheel arch blended inwards and much farther forward, creating a smoother transition for the passing air to flow over and around. The lower and more compact sidepods close to the engine bay also likely denote a smaller package contained within its confines. The 90X uses the popular "swan" style of rear wing mount, first introduced by Acura in 2009, and the exhaust outlets have been moved from the sides to exit from atop the engine cover, similar to the Audi R15. Finally, the 90X carries the new-for-2011 engine cover fin, which is meant to reduce the likelihood of the blow overs that happened rather frequently through the 2009 season.)




(2: The 90X uses a rear fender profile that is similar in some ways to the R15 plus, although the extension behind the rear wheel (and much of the 90X's configuration) is tailored for Monza's low-drag requirements.)




(3: The 90X also sports a very similar front wheel fairing, as seen on the R15 plus.)





(4: Peugeot Sport's low-drag body for the 90X --its "Le Mans" trim -- adopts Audi's R15 plus concept, but does so with a smoother and more scalloped profile on the top side of the rear fender. )




(5: What lives beneath the engine cover is unknown, but compared to the 908, the 90X has a few extra bulges (below the "Total" logo, for example, while the 908's engine cover is wider and runs straight along its "Total" logo) and the new engine cover appears to taper inwards, giving it a tighter wrap on its engine, and also looks like it has a lower profile as it nears the bell housing and gearbox.)




(6: The 90X's air intake is a nice addition, but with the 908 already making use of a shallow recess in the engine cover, adding in the overhead intake wasn't a major undertaking -- the space to do so already existed..)




(7: The front of the 90X looks similar in many ways to the specification used at Petit Le Mans earlier this month, although wider front fenders are a possibility and the nose itself is narrower starting at the top of the 90X's circular "Total" logo.)





(8: A look at the two different low-drag rear fender ramps -- the 90X at Monza and the 908 from Le Mans this year.)




(9: The 908 uses a small slot gap between the trailing edge of its front fender and the leading edge of its sidepod, but with the 90X, Peugeot has moved to a more familiar route as seen on LMP1 cars from 2009. While more photos would be needed to confirm this, it appears the 90X is designed to flow more air from its splitter out through the slot gap like the Acura ARX-02a and the Audi R15 plus. The sculpting on the 90X's sidepod is also nearly identical to the Acura and Audi.)




(10: The 908 used two versions of a 10-slot sidepod cooling vent, while the 90X uses a 9-slot exit.)





(11: Another area that remains unconfirmed is the possible use of wider front tires on the 90X. The standard BBS 908 front wheel, shown at Petit Le Mans, was always flush, while the 90X uses a new BBS with a wider offset. Audi's R15 plus uses an OZ wheel, yet the offset looks similar, despite using "standard" front tires. Could Peugeot have adopted the "four rear tires" strategy that Nick Wirth pioneered with the Acura ARX-02a? Rumors of Audi employing rear tires/wheels on the front of their new 2011 prototype, the R18, persist, and it is also believed that their updated R15 plus, the "plus plus," will appear at its first race, the 12 Hours of Sebring, sporting wide front tires and wheels. Sports car fans will have a busy off season following all of the intrigue and updates as the two LMP1 protagonists push each other to dominate next season.)