With 12 Hypercars in Le Mans Ultimate, choosing your weapon for online races can be tricky, so here is your guide to the best top class models we see most often in online lobbies.
As the official game to the FIA World Endurance Championship, Le Mans Ultimate features the widest variety of top class endurance racing sportscars in sim racing. Spreading itself across both the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the title features no less than 12 Hypercars:
But with online lobbies set to get fiercer and fiercer over the coming months with driver swaps on their way, which model should you focus on running online? Well, in this guide, we will go over the most popular Hypercars online and which model should best suit your driving style.
The Ferrari 499P is among the most popular Hypercars in LMU. But is it the best? Image: Studio 397
Before we get going however, it is worth noting that Hypercar is a Balance of Performance class, and so lap times are extremely close across the board apart from a few outliers. In fact, a model's drivability and handling will more harshly impact which car you prefer driving. As a result, as long as you dedicate yourself to understanding a particular car, you should be able to compete in just about anything.
In fact, models built upon the LMH ruleset (Toyota, Ferrari, Peugeot) do seem to be more drivable, predictable and consistent than those using LMDh rules. With electric power going to the front axle from a certain speed making for all-wheel drive as opposed to LMDh cars' rear-wheel drive only, these LMH cars do tend to be more stable in medium and high speed corners.
Toyota and Cadillac join Ferrari as the most popular Le Mans Ultimate Hypercars. Image: Studio 397
But the Toyota and Ferrari are not the only cars highly frequented in Le Mans Ultimate. The Cadillac is another high finisher at most circuits due to its soft rear end making for a comfy experience on corner exits. Though let's not kid ourselves, that V8 soundtrack also plays a large part in its popularity. There is one thing to look out for with the Cadillac however, as due to its softer rear end, it can suffer from more aggressive weight transfer and therefore rear locking under braking, so it is best to move Brake Migration forward.
One of the trickiest Hypercars to drive out of the box, the Alpine is in fact a rapid model especially on tighter circuits. Able to rotate on a penny, it is perhaps among the most agile Hypercars in slower speed sections, something we liken to Red Bull cars in Formula One - an attribute some can handle and others cannot. Its gearing does mean it tops out earlier than other models in-class. So Le Mans is not its strongest suit, but it is a strong contender at the likes of Imola, Portimao and Fuji.
The Alpine can be strong in Le Mans Ultimate. Image: Studio 397
Another hidden gem in the Hypercar class is the Lamborghini which will often finish highly online but only after the driver learns how to tame the beast. A far stiffer car than others in-class, the SC63 tends to bounce a lot off bumps meaning it may not be suited to the likes of Sebring or COTA. But on a smoother surface like Bahrain or even Le Mans, it can be a successful machine.
You may realise from the above list that there are two Peugeots, a 2023 and 2024 version. If you are looking to run this other French manufacturer, we would suggest the 2024 car to be the fastest for higher speed circuits with its more powerful front end electric motor. However, the 2023 model does feel less lethargic at slower speeds, similarly to the Alpine. Both can be competitive given the time to adapt to their handling styles which require more patience than other cars.
Last year's Hypercar champion was the #6 Porsche 963 and with a stable, predictable and rapid base, you can understand why. Disliking sharper inputs and very much an understeery platform, the Porsche is rarely popular online where players seemingly prefer jump-in pace and a playful rear end. But if you are the kind of driver that prefers to approach corners with caution, instead focusing on exits, this may well be the car for you.
The Porsche and BMW require a little more practice to get on the pace in LMU. Image: Studio 397
The BMW M Hybrid V8 uses the same core Dallara chassis as the Cadillac and so there are some similarities in the way they drive - all about using the power to rotate the car. But that also means it suffers from the same rear-locking weakness as the louder V8 LMDh. Move the Brake Migration higher into positive numbers and you will find the brakes to be more approachable, helping extract speed. At high speeds, the BMW is one of the faster cars and so the likes of the Porsche Curves are a strong suit for this racer.
The latter is only just quicker than an LMP2 car on a perfect lap, wears its tyres to shreds and suffers horrendously from a bumpy surface.
Some Le Mans Ultimate cars reside offline for a reason. Image: Studio 397
As for the Glickenhaus, it can be a competitive car with a lot of setup work. We typically prefer driving it on a softer setup making the most of the model's low-speed agility with softer roll bars front and rear as well as a softer rear third spring. But to get the most out of it, you must drive smoothly to avoid losing the rear end both on turn-in and exit of corners. So for simple daily races where setups are fixed and you do not get much time to practice, it may be best to follow the herd.
One last model no longer competing the FIA WEC is the Isotta Fraschini which in real life saw very little success. Both understeery on entry and oversteery on exit, the Isotta is a tough car to drive without dialling in a setup to cater to your particular driving style. Therefore, if you intend on simply running daily races it may not be for you. However, with a little fine-tuning notably to the car's mechanical grip, it can be more competitive with smooth inputs and so you should not overlook it for your next league.
If you enjoyed this article or found the guide useful, be sure to check our rundown of the best LMGT3 cars in Le Mans Ultimate as well!
Which is your favourite Hypercar in Le Mans Ultimate? Let us know in the comments and join the discussion in our LMU forum!
As the official game to the FIA World Endurance Championship, Le Mans Ultimate features the widest variety of top class endurance racing sportscars in sim racing. Spreading itself across both the 2023 and 2024 seasons, the title features no less than 12 Hypercars:
- Toyota GR010
- Ferrari 499P
- Cadillac V-Series.R
- Alpine A424
- Lamborghini SC63
- Peugeot 9X8 (2024)
- BMW M Hybrid V8
- Porsche 963
- Isotta Fraschini Tipo 6 LMH-C
- Peugeot 9X8 (2023)
- Glickenhaus SCG007
- Vanwall Vandervell 680
But with online lobbies set to get fiercer and fiercer over the coming months with driver swaps on their way, which model should you focus on running online? Well, in this guide, we will go over the most popular Hypercars online and which model should best suit your driving style.
The Ferrari 499P is among the most popular Hypercars in LMU. But is it the best? Image: Studio 397
Before we get going however, it is worth noting that Hypercar is a Balance of Performance class, and so lap times are extremely close across the board apart from a few outliers. In fact, a model's drivability and handling will more harshly impact which car you prefer driving. As a result, as long as you dedicate yourself to understanding a particular car, you should be able to compete in just about anything.
Most Popular LMU Hypercars
Enter any Le Mans Ultimate lobby and there are two main cars that will dominate the standings: the Toyota GR010 and Ferrari 499P. As we have already mentioned, this does not necessarily mean they are the fastest, but there must be a reason for their popularity.In fact, models built upon the LMH ruleset (Toyota, Ferrari, Peugeot) do seem to be more drivable, predictable and consistent than those using LMDh rules. With electric power going to the front axle from a certain speed making for all-wheel drive as opposed to LMDh cars' rear-wheel drive only, these LMH cars do tend to be more stable in medium and high speed corners.
Toyota and Cadillac join Ferrari as the most popular Le Mans Ultimate Hypercars. Image: Studio 397
But the Toyota and Ferrari are not the only cars highly frequented in Le Mans Ultimate. The Cadillac is another high finisher at most circuits due to its soft rear end making for a comfy experience on corner exits. Though let's not kid ourselves, that V8 soundtrack also plays a large part in its popularity. There is one thing to look out for with the Cadillac however, as due to its softer rear end, it can suffer from more aggressive weight transfer and therefore rear locking under braking, so it is best to move Brake Migration forward.
Which Hypercar Should I Drive?
Whilst the Ferrari and Toyota are the most popular models in online servers currently, they are not the only Hypercars capable of top results in Le Mans Ultimate. In fact, the point we keep hammering across is that whilst this pairing may well be the easiest to get to grips with, spend enough time with any model and you will be able to rank among the top places.One of the trickiest Hypercars to drive out of the box, the Alpine is in fact a rapid model especially on tighter circuits. Able to rotate on a penny, it is perhaps among the most agile Hypercars in slower speed sections, something we liken to Red Bull cars in Formula One - an attribute some can handle and others cannot. Its gearing does mean it tops out earlier than other models in-class. So Le Mans is not its strongest suit, but it is a strong contender at the likes of Imola, Portimao and Fuji.
The Alpine can be strong in Le Mans Ultimate. Image: Studio 397
Another hidden gem in the Hypercar class is the Lamborghini which will often finish highly online but only after the driver learns how to tame the beast. A far stiffer car than others in-class, the SC63 tends to bounce a lot off bumps meaning it may not be suited to the likes of Sebring or COTA. But on a smoother surface like Bahrain or even Le Mans, it can be a successful machine.
You may realise from the above list that there are two Peugeots, a 2023 and 2024 version. If you are looking to run this other French manufacturer, we would suggest the 2024 car to be the fastest for higher speed circuits with its more powerful front end electric motor. However, the 2023 model does feel less lethargic at slower speeds, similarly to the Alpine. Both can be competitive given the time to adapt to their handling styles which require more patience than other cars.
Last year's Hypercar champion was the #6 Porsche 963 and with a stable, predictable and rapid base, you can understand why. Disliking sharper inputs and very much an understeery platform, the Porsche is rarely popular online where players seemingly prefer jump-in pace and a playful rear end. But if you are the kind of driver that prefers to approach corners with caution, instead focusing on exits, this may well be the car for you.
The Porsche and BMW require a little more practice to get on the pace in LMU. Image: Studio 397
The BMW M Hybrid V8 uses the same core Dallara chassis as the Cadillac and so there are some similarities in the way they drive - all about using the power to rotate the car. But that also means it suffers from the same rear-locking weakness as the louder V8 LMDh. Move the Brake Migration higher into positive numbers and you will find the brakes to be more approachable, helping extract speed. At high speeds, the BMW is one of the faster cars and so the likes of the Porsche Curves are a strong suit for this racer.
Slowest Hypercars in Le Mans Ultimate
Where there are fast cars, there are also slow ones and whilst Hypercar is a Balance of Performance class, it can only do so much. In the case of boutique manufacturers Glickenhaus and Vanwall, we would recommend steering clear of the SCG 007 and Vandervell 680.The latter is only just quicker than an LMP2 car on a perfect lap, wears its tyres to shreds and suffers horrendously from a bumpy surface.
Some Le Mans Ultimate cars reside offline for a reason. Image: Studio 397
As for the Glickenhaus, it can be a competitive car with a lot of setup work. We typically prefer driving it on a softer setup making the most of the model's low-speed agility with softer roll bars front and rear as well as a softer rear third spring. But to get the most out of it, you must drive smoothly to avoid losing the rear end both on turn-in and exit of corners. So for simple daily races where setups are fixed and you do not get much time to practice, it may be best to follow the herd.
One last model no longer competing the FIA WEC is the Isotta Fraschini which in real life saw very little success. Both understeery on entry and oversteery on exit, the Isotta is a tough car to drive without dialling in a setup to cater to your particular driving style. Therefore, if you intend on simply running daily races it may not be for you. However, with a little fine-tuning notably to the car's mechanical grip, it can be more competitive with smooth inputs and so you should not overlook it for your next league.
If you enjoyed this article or found the guide useful, be sure to check our rundown of the best LMGT3 cars in Le Mans Ultimate as well!
Which is your favourite Hypercar in Le Mans Ultimate? Let us know in the comments and join the discussion in our LMU forum!
