Peugeot's weirdest modern concepts

After the wheel-cocking Rallye series, Peugeot lost its way a bit. Not that the cars that followed were that bad, but the French firm seemed to resign itself to a life of mediocrity. Churn it out. Go home early.

But then in 2009, Peugeot showed off its RCZ concept at the Frankfurt motor show - a Zagato-inspired bubble-buttocked coupe that won much praise when the company put it into production, pretty much unchanged.

Following the RCZ came the Pikes Peak-obliterating 208 T16, news of a new Dakar racer, and a mischief of concepts that showed Pug was finally getting its mojo back. OK, some of the road stuff still needs some French polishing, but the future's looking bright. Just look at the new Exalt...

Now click on for more concepts promising good, weird things fem Peugeot.

As you may have read eight seconds ago, Peugeot only planned to show the RCZ off as a concept for the 2009 Frankfurt motor show. So. That ass. The company claimed that the 308-based 2+2 had a notably improved aero coefficient with the bubbley glass fitted, so it stayed for production. This made us happy.

The launch 200bhp 1.6-litre engine got the RCZ to 62mph in 7.6 seconds while returning 40mpg and under 165g/km of CO2. A detuned version of the same engine - developing 156bhp - and a 163bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel were also on the menu, the latter returning over 50mpg and just under 140g/km of CO2. Then, last year, came the 270bhp RCZ-R, which was the most powerful French car... in the world (the Veyron doesn't count. We all know it's German).

As you may have read eight seconds ago, Peugeot only planned to show the RCZ off as a concept for the 2009 Frankfurt motor show. So. That ass. The company claimed that the 308-based 2+2 had a notably improved aero coefficient with the bubbley glass fitted, so it stayed for production. This made us happy.

The launch 200bhp 1.6-litre engine got the RCZ to 62mph in 7.6 seconds while returning 40mpg and under 165g/km of CO2. A detuned version of the same engine - developing 156bhp - and a 163bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel were also on the menu, the latter returning over 50mpg and just under 140g/km of CO2. Then, last year, came the 270bhp RCZ-R, which was the most powerful French car... in the world (the Veyron doesn't count. We all know it's German).

This EV'll hit a standing quarter mile in 14.4 seconds, and a mile in 41.09 seconds at a speed of 87.6mph - just two of the six international acceleration records it took for electric-powered vehicles when it was launched in 2010. And it set a 9:01.338 lap of the Nurburgring, which was record-breaking for an EV back in 2011.

It also looks properly bonkers. The seats are in the doors.

OK, so a diminutive urban crossover's hardly fizz-inducing stuff, but the HR1 had kicked-back A-pillars, chiselled headlights, a floating front grille, scissor doors and a double-bubble roof, just like the RCZ.

It ended up as the 2008. Meh. More bravery please, Peugeot.

OK, so a diminutive urban crossover's hardly fizz-inducing stuff, but the HR1 had kicked-back A-pillars, chiselled headlights, a floating front grille, scissor doors and a double-bubble roof, just like the RCZ.

It ended up as the 2008. Meh. More bravery please, Peugeot.

MPVs aren't the most inspiring things, so Pug decided to have a stab at making them less dull. And tall. The HX1 stands just 1.3 meters high, but measures a huge 1.9m wide, and 4.9m long. Which means nothing, until you compare it to, say, the 1.1m tall, 2m wide, and 4.8m long Lamborghini Aventador...

There are also two extra chairs moulded into the back of the front seats, which can be electrically unfolded and configured into a centre row, based on the same principle as the HR1. This has to reach production.

Read more here

MPVs aren't the most inspiring things, so Pug decided to have a stab at making them less dull. And tall. The HX1 stands just 1.3 meters high, but measures a huge 1.9m wide, and 4.9m long. Which means nothing, until you compare it to, say, the 1.1m tall, 2m wide, and 4.8m long Lamborghini Aventador...

There are also two extra chairs moulded into the back of the front seats, which can be electrically unfolded and configured into a centre row, based on the same principle as the HR1. This has to reach production.

Read more here

Designed to plug into China's enormo car market, the SxC was designed, and debuted, in Shanghai. It was big. Really big. Lower, longer and wider than a BMW X5 in fact, which Pug insists made it ‘protective'.

The SxC got the company's 1.6-litre, 218bhp petrol engine with an electric motor, adding 95bhp and powering the rear wheels, unfurling a grand total of 313bhp.

OK, so it's a bit of a four-pinter, but it showed the company making proper inroads to hybrid tech and big, competitive global markets.

Read more here

Designed to plug into China's enormo car market, the SxC was designed, and debuted, in Shanghai. It was big. Really big. Lower, longer and wider than a BMW X5 in fact, which Pug insists made it ‘protective'.

The SxC got the company's 1.6-litre, 218bhp petrol engine with an electric motor, adding 95bhp and powering the rear wheels, unfurling a grand total of 313bhp.

OK, so it's a bit of a four-pinter, but it showed the company making proper inroads to hybrid tech and big, competitive global markets.

Read more here

The dashboard's made of crushed newspaper, the seats are made of felt, and all that stuff that looks like copper? Well, it's, er, copper.

This concept is no 5mph special either. Under the steampunk surfacing there's a 600bhp, 3.7-litre V8 diesel engine taken straight out of the 908 Le Mans. Even with all the copper bodywork, the Onyx only weighs 1,100kg, so its power-to-weight ratio is 545bhp/tonne. Slightly more than a ‘normal' Bugatti Veyron.

James still needs some convincing...

The dashboard's made of crushed newspaper, the seats are made of felt, and all that stuff that looks like copper? Well, it's, er, copper.

This concept is no 5mph special either. Under the steampunk surfacing there's a 600bhp, 3.7-litre V8 diesel engine taken straight out of the 908 Le Mans. Even with all the copper bodywork, the Onyx only weighs 1,100kg, so its power-to-weight ratio is 545bhp/tonne. Slightly more than a ‘normal' Bugatti Veyron.

James still needs some convincing...

Following the Onyx comes this - the sharkskinette-lined hybrid that's showing off the next generation of Peugeot design.

Click here for the full story. And start turning these concepts into reality, Peugeot...

Following the Onyx comes this - the sharkskinette-lined hybrid that's showing off the next generation of Peugeot design.

Click here for the full story. And start turning these concepts into reality, Peugeot...