Peugeot previews 500kW Le Mans hypercar

Peugeot and its chief sponsor Total have released the first pictures of an all-new racer that will compete in the 2022 Le Mans Hypercar class and spawn a limited run of top-echelon road cars.

Releasing pictures at last weekend's Le Mans 24 Hour race, Peugeot revealed that its new World Endurance Championship (WEC) racer will be powered by an advanced all-wheel drive hybrid powertrain that, in total, will produce 500kW.

The new hybrid hypercar is said to be centred around a front-mounted engine that produces 200kW. It's believed the rear axle could be powered by twin electric motors.

FIA rules state that each competitor in the hypercar class must produce at least 25 road cars before the end of 2022 that come powered by an identical powertrain to the racer.

Governed by strict budget caps of around €20 million ($A33m) per season, manufacturers were given the choice of either developing a bespoke racer or modifying a road-going hypercar to compete in the series.

Details are still under wraps, but the Peugeot racer measures in at around five metres long and two metres wide.

Commenting on the racer, Peugeot Sport WEC boss Oliver Jansonnie said: "We have confirmed part of the aerodynamic concept. The engine framework has been decided and we have chosen the functionality of the hybrid system and its fundamental design.

"We still have several steps before our debut in endurance in 2022 – in studies, the production of prototypes and, finally, affirmation on the bench and on the track," he said.

Peugeot's return to Le Mans will be celebrated by motorsport fans. It last won the world-famous endurance race back in 2009 with its diesel-powered 908 HDi FAP and came close to returning with a hybrid racer in 2012.

The French car-maker has been finally tempted back by the new hypercar race series cost caps.