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Peugeot has a distinguished track record of unveiling show-stopping concept cars.
Many have provided clear indications for the design of upcoming models, so it’s worth paying attention to these concept cars when they appear at motor shows. Here’s our pick of the outlandish, influential and downright unusual from Peugeot.
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Peugeot Instinct, Geneva Motor Show 2017
The Instinct was created to show off Peugeot’s autonomous technology and future plans. What really grabbed the headlines, though, was this concept’s sensational shooting brake style. Designed by Matthias Hossann, it features a full four-seat cabin and holographic dash display. Power is from a 300bhp plug-in hybrid petrol-electric engine and Hossann included aerodynamic aids such as an air brake and active air blade.
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Peugeot Oxia: Paris Motor Show 1988
The Oxia could so easily have been the Peugeot to take the French firm into the late 1980s supercar boom. It came with a top speed of 217mph that had been proven on a track, with power from 670bhp twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6 engine mounted in the middle of the car.
The 405 saloon-derived front end gave way to a low, flat body clearly inspired by racing, which was deliberate as the car had been developed by Gerard Walter who was involved with Le Mans projects. This incredible machine took its name from the Oxia Palus region on Mars.
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Peugeot Proxima: Paris Motor Show 1986
The Peugeot Proxima was an early foray from the French company into alternative fuel solutions. Its mid-mounted engine deck was covered in solar panels, though they only offered enough electricity to charge up the remote key rather than turn the wheels. That job was left to a 2.8-litre V6 petrol engine with a pair of turbos producing 600bhp and driving all four wheels.
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Peugeot Touareg: Paris Motor Show 1996
Long before Volkswagen used the name, Peugeot showed off its Touareg concept. It used a lightweight composite body in a buggy style to give the car an off-road look. The 18-inch wheels helped with ground clearance and Peugeot even let journalists try it on some rough tracks. The only problem was the electric motor’s battery packs weren’t up to the job and had to be replaced every night to keep the Touareg moving.
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Peugeot RC: Geneva Motor Show 2002
Peugeot toyed with the public’s desire for an affordable French sports car again in 2002 with its RC sports concept. Unusually, the pretty mid-engined machine was shown in two distinct guises. The Spade was painted black and had a 2.0-litre petrol engine, while the Diamond was finished in red and used a 2.2-litre turbodiesel. Both achieved 0-62mph in 6.0 seconds and each had a six-speed sequential gearbox and carbon fibre body.
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Peugeot Hoggar: Geneva Motor Show 2003
There’s clearly a love for the beach buggy in Peugeot’s design studio as the Hoggar is another dune-defying concept. It also flagged up the firm’s intentions to compete in the Dakar Rally, so came with all-wheel drive, twin shock suspension all around and a stainless steel passenger safety cage. It also had twin engines, each 2.2-litre diesel producing 180bhp. The Hoggar’s real moment of fame was being included in the Asphalt Extreme video game.
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Peugeot Quasar: Paris Motor Show 1984
The Quasar was a greatest hits of 1980s concept themes brought together by Peugeot in a package that could easily have become a production reality. The reason for that is its drivetrain and chassis were lifted direct from the 205 T16 Group B rally car, so it had 600bhp and four-wheel drive. While the scissor doors looked good, the digital dash and early sat-nav system were more sci-fi than high street.
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Peugeot Asphalte: Paris Motor Show 1996
At first glance, the Asphalte looks like a three-wheeler, but closer inspection reveals it has a close-coupled pair of rear wheels. This allowed the body to taper in at the rear to give the two-seater excellent aerodynamics. The front styling clearly showed the way for the 206 supermini that followed two years after the Asphalte appeared and the four-cylinder engine was also used in the 206.
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Peugeot Nautilus: Geneva Motor Show 1997
Ken Okuyama has styled everything from the Ferrari Enzo to bullet trains, so the Nautilus should have been a breeze for this talented Japanese designer. His inspiration came from the sea, so the shape looked like it had been worn smooth and kept its clean line by using hidden door handles and cameras in place of door mirrors.
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Peugeot 607 Feline: Geneva Motor Show 2000
Having introduced the CC roof on its 206, Peugeot fancied pushing the boundaries of convertible design with the 607 Feline. Its glass canopy divided into front and rear sections that slide fore and aft to allow access to the cockpit through doors that also slid into the front wings. A 210bhp 3.0-litre V6 up front gave it strong performance, but the idea never went beyond the company’s La Garenne Design Centre.
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Peugeot H2O: Paris Motor Show 2002
Looking like something from Blade Runner, the Peugeot H2O was a play on words. Styled to look like a fire engine, it used hydrogen fuel cell technology that produced nothing more harmful than clean water. While the fire fighting attachments were entertaining, the real interest lay with the front end styling that clearly showed how the 207 supermini would look.
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Peugeot 20Cup: Frankfurt Motor Show 2005
Peugeot has a long history of building scooters and motorcycles, so the 20Cup provided a visual and engineering link between the two. Using a Morgan-like layout of two wheels at the front and a single rear, the 20Cup weighed 500kg thanks to a carbon fibre tub and power came from a 170bhp turbocharged 1.6-litre turbo petrol unit. Of two built, only the black one survives.
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Peugeot 4002: Geneva Motor Show 2003
Most concept cars are the work of in-house designers, but in 2002 Peugeot ran a competition for anyone to enter. The result was the 4002 penned by Stefan Schulze, a German graphic artist. He best 2800 other entrants and took inspiration from the 1936 402 with its sweeping lines influenced by the Chrysler Airflow from 1934.
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Peugeot 407 Macarena: Geneva Motor Show 2006
The 407 Macarena didn’t come from within Peugeot and instead was created by coachbuilding firm Heuliez to showcase its talents. To do this, they turned a 407 saloon into a four-seat convertible complete with folding glass hard-top. The roof gave the car its name as the two sections folded like a Macarena dancer’s arms. Only the show car was built.
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Peugeot 907: Paris Motor Show 2004
With styling by Gérard Welter who has been involved with Le Mans for many years, the Peugeot 907 was always going to be a sports car. Designer Jean-Christophe Bolle-Reddat made it come to life in time for the 907 to mark the end of Peugeot’s La Garenne studio and the opening of a new facility at Vélizy. To fill out that lengthy bonnet, a pair of 3.0-litre V6 engines were joined to create an 800bhp V12. Top speed was claimed at 222mph and 0-62mph took 3.7 seconds.
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Peugeot 908 RC: Paris Motor Show 2006
In a bid to link its efforts at Le Mans to road cars, Peugeot came up with the 908 RC that used the same 5.5-litre V12 engine as the 908 endurance racer. For the RC, the twin-turbo unit developed 700bhp, but this was no stripped to basics sports car. Instead, this 908 was a luxury four-seater and featured a large touchscreen in the front centre console that predicted the arrival of today’s infotainment systems.
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Peugeot Moovie: Frankfurt Motor Show 2005
The Moovie may just be the wackiest concept Peugeot has ever graced a show stand with. Even more amazing is it came from an amateur designer who won the company’s third design competition. André Costa from Portugal wanted to make an environmentally friendly car and came up with this glass, steel and composite bubble. As a further accolade, Peugeot made the concept into a 1:43 scale model.
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Peugeot EX1: Paris Motor Show 2010
Peugeot refined its notion of a two-seat sports car further with the EX1, which used the same teardrop shape seen on the 20Cup. The EX1, however, was a four-wheeler where the rear wheels were inset to aid aerodynamics. A 340bhp electric motor wasn’t just for show, either, as the EX1 went on to set six speed records for vehicles weighing less than 1000kg and a new EV lap record of the Nürburgring in 9mins 1.338sec.
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Peugeot 607 Paladine: Geneva Motor Show 2000
Peugeot got in on the Presidential limousine act normally dominated by Citroen with its 607 Paladine. Nicolas Sarkozy used this concept car for this inauguration in 2007, making full use of the folding metal rear roof section designed by Heuliez. To keep the 500mm lengthened Paladine looking current, it was given the 2004 facelifted looks of the standard 607.
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Peugeot Flux: Frankfurt Motor Show 2007
Another winner from Peugeot’s International Design Competition, the Flux was the brainchild of 20-year old Mihai Panaitescu. He came up with an off-road sports car crossover with a rigid aluminium frame and composite body panels. A rear-mounted hydrogen fuel cell propelled the Flux, with its name a nod to the film Back to the Future. The car also featured in the video game Project Gotham Racing 4.
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Peugeot Onyx: Paris Motor Show 2012
The Onyx was Peugeot at its maddest, brilliant best where concept cars are concerned. From the outside, the low-slung mid-engined supercar looked amazing and then you spot the hand-beaten copper front wings and doors. Under the rear deck lies a 3.7-litre V8 turbodiesel lifted from the 908 Le Mans racer, so 600bhp is on tap. To complement this car, Peugeot also came up with Onyx concepts for a bicycle and three-wheeled scooter.
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Peugeot 207 RCup: Geneva Motor Show 2006
Unusually for a concept car, we knew the 207 RCup was destined to go into production as Peugeot based its Super 2000 rally car on this design. At its heart was a 280bhp 2.0-litre engine that revved to 8500rpm. Sadly, the wide-bodied aggression and raw driving manners of the RCup never translated into a roadgoing model and the best we were offered was the tame 207 GTI.
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Peugeot 308 RC Z Coupe: Frankfurt Motor Show 2007
Fantasy can become reality if there’s the will to do it and the Peugeot 308 RC Z Coupe proved the point. It won the French company huge plaudits when it was shown as a concept and this was enough to build the business case to go ahead. The result was the RCZ coupe of 2010 that did much to reinvigorate the brand and give keen drivers a reason to choose a Peugeot.
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Peugeot 806 Runabout: Frankfurt Motor Show 1997
Had this concept come from Rinspeed or Sbarro, we’d have accepted it without question, but Peugeot itself is responsible for the 806 Runabout. It’s based on the 806 MPV and has a 3.0-litre V6 engine with auto ’box, but there are only seats. In place of the second and third rows is a lengthy teak deck aping the style of hand built speed boats. It also came with airbags that could double as life vests.
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Peugeot Vroomster: Paris Motor Show 2000
The Vroomster was one of four City Toyz small car concepts presented alongside each other at the Paris show. The others were the bobslid, e-doll and Kart up, which made the Vroomster name seem almost palatable. The swoopy body of this one included a windscreen that swept up and over the front cabin, while in the back were two very upright seats. Buried under the front bodywork was a 1.6-litre engine from a 206.
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Peugeot SR1, Geneva Motor Show 2010
It looked like a sports car and came with 309bhp to take care of 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds, but Peugeot insisted the SR1 was a study in environmental efficiency. This is because it showcased Hybrid4 technology with a 215bhp 1.6-litre turbo petrol driving the front wheels and electric motors turning the rears. As a result, the SR1 could also offer 58mpg and 119g/km carbon dioxide emissions.
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Peugeot Exalt: Beijing Motor Show 2014
It was telling that Peugeot chose to unveil the Exalt at the Beijing Motor Show, clearly stating where it saw this kind of car finding favour. The exterior mixed a brushed aluminium finish with a red material at the rear with a shark skin pattern claimed to improve aerodynamics. Inside, there was seat fabric that looked like it came from Savile Row, swathes of ebony wood and details made from basalt stone.
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Peugeot HX1: Frankfurt Motor Show 2011
With the HX1, Peugeot decided to redefine the luxury car. The result was a low-slung four-seat coupe with a quartet of scissor-opening doors. If that wasn’t enough to grab showgoers attention, the cabin materials were designed with help from shoe designer and former ballet dancer Pierre Hardy. Under the bonnet, things are a little more conventional with a Hybrid4 set-up and combined 299bhp from the 508 RXH-derived powertrain.
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Peugeot Quartz: Paris Motor Show 2014
With hindsight, we can see the Quartz clearly showed the way for the 3008 and 5008 crossovers from Peugeot. It also took its lead from the firm’s Dakar Rally raiders to give it a high-riding stance on 305mm wide tyres. Inside, there’s seating for four in individual bucket seats, while performance is taken care of by a 266bhp 1.6-litre turbo petrol developed by Peugeot Sport.
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Peugeot L500 R HYbrid: Indianapolis 2016
The L500 R Hybrid is a sensational concept in its own right, but the story behind it is even more fascinating. It was built to celebrate the ‘Charlatans’ victory at the Indianapolis race track in 1913, 1916 and 1919. Those cars used revolutionary engines to power their way to victory and the L500 R comes with 500bhp hybrid power from a 270bhp turbocharged petrol engine and electric motors to take it from rest to 62mph in 2.5 seconds.
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Peugeot Fractal: Frankfurt Motor Show 2015
The main reason behind the Fractal’s existence was to showcase the second generation of Peugeot i-Cockpit design. So, inside there’s a minimalist style with touch pads integrated into the steering wheel to operate almost all of the car’s functions. Most of the interior was produced for this show car using 3D printing.
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Peugeot Foodtruck: Milan Design Week 2015
Forget burger and chips, the Peugeot Foodtruck is a much more sophisticated takeaway option, as you’d expect of the gastronomic French. Both the main van and trailer bodies have hinged sections that extend out to create a fully equipped kitchen. It also came with a DJ booth and coffee bar, so Peugeot clearly intended this concept to appeal to the haute couture crowd of Milan Design Week.
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Peugeot Spider 207: Paris Motor Show 2006
The 207 Spider shared its front end looked with the standard hatch, but this Peugeot was an out and out racer. Don’t let the 207 headlights fool you, the engine in this car is mounted in the middle and drives the rear wheels as it was designed for a one-make race series. Other than the light, the only thing it has in common with the 207 GTI is the 1.6-litre turbo engine makes the same 173bhp as the hatch model.
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Peugeot BB1: Frankfurt Motor Show 2009
The BB1 looks like it’s being shunted up the back end due to its canted forward windscreen pillars. However, this electric city car could accommodate four adults in a car 2.5-metres long as it made the most of every inch of space. More room was freed up by using in-wheel motors that gave a maximum of 240lb ft of torque.
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Peugeot SXC: Shanghai Motor Show 2011
Peugeot went all-out to woo its Chinese customers with the SXC. A full-size SUV, it used a 218bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine to drive the front wheels, while the rears are turned by an electric motor. Despite the show-off 22-inch alloy wheels and reverse-hinged back doors of the concept, the SXC went on to inform the looks of the 3008 and 5008 that we can buy today.
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