Almost an “art car”: enlivened by colourful, ultra-modern decorations, the 9X8 makes its debut at the liveliest of Milan events, fresh from the care of J. Demsky, internationally renowned visual creative artist. With a result that immediately deviates from the image of single-seater racing cars. “The colour white alone already creates an impression of brightness and optimism”, exclaims Mathias Hossan, pleased with the deviation.
“The style centre was involved from the very outset of the development of this racing ‘monster’, precisely in order to define, also thanks to the new regulations, an impact aligned with the brand identity”, the Lion’s design head continues. “But this time we had to exceed ourselves: 2023 marks the centenary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, to which we are very attached, and the 30th anniversary of the 905’s hat trick in that race, one of our highest sporting achievements. Two occasions to be remembered”.
Matthias Hossann, responsabile di Peugeot Design
It is precisely from the decade of the 1990s (“very significant in the artist’s work as well”) that the graphic elements seem to take their cues, blended, however, with an unabashedly contemporary flair. If at one time the pristine bodywork accommodated the classic three Peugeot Talbot Sport stripes, the red-blue-yellow also hailed on the 106 and 205 Rallye road cars, today the whiteness is interrupted by incisive colour segments reminiscent of the four-colour pixels of early computer graphics, juxtaposed with a “net” of squares equally evocative of a certain type of computer science. Thus, paradoxically, a Generation Z-friendly code is activated.
Not surprisingly, the Design Week installation appears incredibly current, flowing over a parallelepiped of LED screens, exploding in a burst of sometimes dazzling hues: like a video of a rapper in a sweatshirt and sneakers. After all, Demsky also designed the drivers’ suits… “This relationship between celebration of the historical achievements and a super-youthful spirit constitutes the best feature of the initiative”, adds Hossan. “It’s not the first time this has happened to us: when we unveiled the e-Legend concept that echoed the 504 coupé, some kids thought it came from the future!” What if the 9X8 were to become the next discovery for 20-year-olds on scooters?
