Peugeot 9X8 2026: New GTI Livery in Classic 205 Colors

Peugeot Sport unveils a new GTI livery for its Peugeot 9X8, marking the return to the historic white, red, and black colors of the legendary 205 GTI. This visual transformation accompanies Peugeot's centenary at Le Mans and paves the way for the arrival of the new e-208 GTI at dealerships.

"The Hypergraphes represent the legendary three claws and their performance expression, combined with a modernity embodied by a color palette that reflects Peugeot's GTI DNA" — Matthias Hossann, Peugeot Design Director

Back to roots with the mythical GTI colors

On February 26, 2026, Peugeot Sport held a spectacular event at the Atelier Vendôme in Paris to unveil the new livery for its Peugeot 9X8 cars number 93 and 94. Gone is the fluorescent green PSE style that characterized the hypercar since its 2022 debut. Here comes a trio of colors steeped in history: white, red, and black.

These shades are no accident. They pay homage to the 205 GTI, launched in 1984 and now a legend of French automotive history. The choice proves even more symbolic as it coincides with Peugeot's centenary of its first 24 Hours of Le Mans participation in 1926. The chosen white, dubbed "Okenite White", will also be the launch color for the upcoming e-208 GTI expected at dealerships this year.

Hypergraphes: where technology meets art

The new visual identity goes far beyond a simple color change. Peugeot Design and Peugeot Sport developed together the concept of "Hypergraphes," gradient tracings that pick up the three iconic claws of the brand. These striped motifs evoke both the speed of prototypes and the constant flow of telemetry data, which has become crucial in a championship where margins are often decided on technical analysis.

This graphic signature appears throughout the sports ecosystem: driver suits, team apparel, and official WEC 2026 program materials. Matthias Hossann, Peugeot design director, explains that this approach conveys "the language of Peugeot Sport's performance" while preserving the brand's visual DNA.

First outing in Qatar on March 28

Both 9X8s will sport this new livery at their first official outing during the 1812 km of Qatar on March 28, 2026, the opening round of the WEC season. This race will kick off a particularly important season for Peugeot, which aims to build on the progress made in 2025.

The French hypercar had indeed secured two major podiums last year, at Lone Star Le Mans and the 6 Hours of Fuji, confirming essential technical progress after a difficult start in 2022. These encouraging results fuel Peugeot Sport's ambitions for this 2026 season which promises to be decisive.

When will the new e-208 GTI arrive?

The e-208 GTI should arrive at dealerships sometime in 2026. This compact electric car of around 280 horsepower promises to be one of the most powerful in its segment. Already presented as a concept at the 24 Hours of Le Mans 2025, it will materialize the return of the GTI badge at Peugeot after several years of absence.

This strategy of bringing competition and production closer together fits with what Peugeot initiated with the 508 PSE at the launch of the 9X8. The manufacturer uses endurance racing as a technological laboratory and showcase for its electrified expertise.

A program under financial pressure

This new livery arrives in a tight economic context for Stellantis. The group has confirmed "massive losses" for 2025, according to multiple industry sources. Historically, poor financial results had pushed Peugeot to exit endurance racing in the past, but the Hypercar program appears to be maintained for now.

The situation contrasts with Alpine, whose WEC program exit has been confirmed for late 2026. Despite an opportunistic victory last season, the French team will have only one more chance to win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans before shutting down operations.

The 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans as the main objective

Peugeot's centenary at Le Mans represents the major challenge of this 2026 season. The Lion brand had marked the history of the Sarthe endurance race with its 905s in the 1990s, then continued