World Endurance Championship: The Class of 2020?
With the FIA announcing plans for a 'hypercar' based elite class for the 2020/21 season, we look at some of the possible machines that could make up the grid...
In the week leading up to the 2018 24-hours of Le Mans in June, the FIA announced that LMP1, the current top-class of the four class championship, would be replaced by cars based on production hypercars.
After Audi and Porsche withdrew from the championship in 2016 and 2017 respectively, Toyota are left as the sole manufacturer in LMP1. As the only entry allowed to use the more powerful hybrid engines they are way ahead of the competition. The FIA hopes to close the gap by making the competition more cost-effective with this change.
With a large number of companies releasing or announcing their new flagship cars, the new lineup of 2020 could be an exciting prospect.
Here are some of the potential competitors for 2020...
Toyota GR Super Sport
Quickly after their Le Mans success in June this year, Toyota announced their contender in the hypercar genre.
Despite the car being released as a 'concept', Toyota are positive that the GR Super Sport will be produced, although in low numbers.
Toyota's TS050 WEC engine will be dropped straight into the back of the GR Super Sport. A 2.4 litre, 493 horsepower, V6 engine with two electric motors (also providing 493 hp) will give the GR Super Sport 986 hp.
The car is packed full of the companies current LMP1 hybrid technology, and if Toyota are serious about continuing in WEC's elite category, then the Super Sport is something they are going to have to produce.
McLaren Speedtail
McLaren have had several hypercars hit the market in the recent years. With the P1 and Senna taking the headlines in the past few years and a 720LT coming in 2019.
The company had plenty of endurance success back in the day with their longtail F1, and the new Speedtail seems like an idea successor to the legendary F1.
Long and wide, low-slung and aerodynamic, it seems to be the perfect recipe for endurance success, matching that of the current crop of LMP1 machines.
A twin-turbo V8 and an electric motor will help the Speedtail to 250 mph and 1036 horsepower.
With only 106 being made and sold at a price of £2 million, it is certainly limited production, but may be enough to get flagship into the world's most prestigious endurance championship.
Aston Martin Valkyrie
Red Bull Racing and their mastermind designer, Adrian Newey, know a thing or two about designing a quick car.
Aston Martin have a long history of motorsport success, as well as being one of the coolest brands on the planet.
Put the two together and you get the above result. A hypercar in every sense of the word. Spoilers, splitters, vents, winglets and in AMR's racing livery, the Valkyrie looks like a pure born racer.
Continuing the super expensive, super limited theme, only 99 road going Valkyries will be made, with 24 track only cars to follow. All of this available at a cool £2-3 million.
Mercedes-AMG One
A road going F1 car from the 5 time consecutive F1 World Champions, meet the Mercedes-AMG One.
Once again, a vision of downforce, speed and violence, the One could be an endurance top dog.
Powered by a 828 horsepower, V6 petrol engine and four electric motors, three providing 161 hp each and the other 121. This gives the One an expected 1231 hp at full electrical deployment.
Compared to other cars on this list, the One will be high production, with a mental 275 cars being built, 176 more than the Valkyrie above. The lack of exclusivity doesn't cut down on price, $2.72 million will secure you a piece of Mercedes motorsport magic.
Ferrari LaFerrari
We go to a bit of an old man in the hypercar game, yet one that still tops lists for the best in the game. The Ferrari LaFerrari (that translates to The Ferrari The Ferrari for you none Italian speakers out there) battled with the McLaren P1 and Porsche 918 Spyder at the top of the hypercar tree in 2013.
Although out of production for three years come January, it is the closest thing the Prancing Horse currently have to offer.
Powered by a very un-F1 6.2 litre V12, it's electric KERS system was bang on time went this car was launched. 789 horsepower from the V12 and 161 more from the electric motor gives the production car 950 hp to play with.
Audi PB18
From a retired gem to something so new it doesn't look like it belongs in this century, the Audi PB18 e-tron is a bit of a madness.
It is also as much of a long shot as it is off the charts mad.
This fully electric machine is actually a shooting brake, basically a mash-up of coupe and estate. But don't let the use of the word 'estate' fool you.
Two second to 62 mph, 361-miles on a charge that takes 15 minutes to hit full and the ability to convert into a single-seater race car, this is a serious bit of kit.
Or at least it would be if they planned to make it, which currently they don't. However, we can live in hope that a futuristic estate car will be tearing up Le Mans' Mulsanne straight come 2020.
