“A hypercar is a recognisable kind of race car,” affirms Thierry Bouvet, the ACO’s head of racing. A Hypercar is really a prototype: it’s faster than an LMP2 (which sports a white number on a blue background) and more identifiable. “The regulations were drawn up to let manufacturers express their design and visual identity with these cars.” So what have the manufacturers done to set their cars apart from their rivals? Let’s run through the whole field.

The agile Toyota (photo below). When you look at the Toyota GR010 Hybrid, you can see the soft, slightly rounded, flowing lines common to the brand’s models. In addition, the Japanese car proudly sports its traditional colours. Those of you with a keen eye for detail will also have noticed the magnificent forged aluminium rims from Rays.

The stunning Ferrari. The Ferrari 499P is at once rugged and refined, a thoroughbred distinguished by the Italian marque’s cherished red and by the front and rear lights that take their styling cue from the street-going models found in the manufacturer’s catalogue, appealing to tifosi the world over. On the front bonnet, the race number placed in a white circle references the brand’s racing past and its history at Le Mans.

Pure Cadillac. The American brand’s distinctive personality is emphasised by its vertical lighting features. Cadillac is fielding three cars in the Centenary race: a blue one (#2), a yellow one (#3) and a red one (#311). The Cadillac V-Series R also has its own distinctive sound, but that’s something we’ll come back to very soon.

Porsche styling.
A Porsche – and especially the iconic 911 – is instantly recognisable. The same goes for the 963 prototype, of which four will feature on the 24 Hours grid. Fans of the latest 911 will have noticed the hypercar’s horizontal light signature – a thin red line that runs the full width of the rear.

Peugeot, all claws out. The Peugeot 9X8 is unmistakeable, with its front and rear lighting recalling a lion’s claws. The marque’s logo was updated in 2021 and stands out clearly at the front. Furthermore, Peugeot has shattered the prototype mould with its striking 9X8, which has no rear wing! Add to that the spectacular livery and you’ve got the most distinctive hypercar on the grid!

Glickenhaus, back to the future. James Glickenhaus loves beautiful cars. And he’s passionate about the design of the old prototypes. His 007 is thus a sleek-looking car that whisks us back to ’60s and ’70s.

The Vanwall exception. Vanwall does things differently, and its future road-going car – an outstanding model – is derived from the race car! It won’t be easy to park on the street, but it will certainly turn heads.

Take a look at our detailed presentation of the Hypercar class.