World Concept Cars

The awkwardly named "5 by Peugeot" is a near-production concept car from Peugeot that will have its world premiere at the 2010 Geneva Salon in the beginning of March. It previews the French firm's all-new 508 sedan that could be revealed as early as this fall at the Paris Motor Show.

The automaker describes the 508 concept car as "another indication of the changing face of Peugeot" and as "providing an insight into the marque's future ambitions in the large luxury vehicle segment."

From what we understand, the production 508 will replace both the VW Passat-fighting 407 and the unsuccessful Audi A6-sized 607 sedan. This is also suggested by the concept model's exterior dimensions which at 4,860mm long, is 42mm shorter than the 607 but 168mm longer than the 407 sedan.

In comparison, the VW Passat measures 4,765mm in length, the Citroen C5 4,779mm, the Opel Insignia 4,830mm, the Ford Mondeo 4,844mm.

As with the SR1 Hybrid roadster that will also be unveiled in Geneva, the exterior styling of the "5 by Peugeot" is less clunky and more elegant than the firm's current offerings, while the gaping-mouth has been replaced with a new grille.

The concept car is powered by Peugeot's HYbrid4 technology, which couples a 163-horsepower 2.0-litre HDi diesel engine, mounted at the front of the vehicle, with a 37-horsepower electric motor located at the rear.

This arrangement provides a combined output of 200HP, an electric only mode for low speed operation, four-wheel drive when required, and low fuel consumption and emissions of 3.8lt /100km (74.3 mpg UK or 61.9 mpg US) and 99 g/km of CO2 or zero in electric mode.

It remains to be seen if Peugeot will at some point offer this diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain on the production model.

Source: Carscoop

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Peugeot is signalling a fresh design direction with this brave new SR1 concept car. And if it doesn't look like a Peugeot, that's deliberate. It's all change at Peugeot, tacit admission that its design has erred in recent years. Until now, they claim.

The new Peugeot SR1 is a 2+1 concept car – a roadster with overtones of Aston Martin's V8 Vantage. Seriously! The snout and body surfacing is remarkably like Aston's triumvirate. And who'd have thought we'd be saying that about a humble Peugeot?

Peugeot SR1 concept car: what's the point?

This is no show car today, real car tomorrow. Okay, it could influence a future 407 Coupé successor, hint the design chiefs, but that's not this car's intent. It's all about drawing a line in the sand for Peugeot design. And that's fine by us. We've been fierce critics of dull Peugeots for years and can't remember the last time we got so revved up by a Pug. Excluding perhaps the soon-to-be-launched RCZ coupé.

So read this car and note a few key pointers. The front end is realistic and will influence future Peugeots 'within two years', new design director Gilles Vidal told CAR Online. Those narrower headlamps, that smaller, recessed grille – they're all coming. Thank goodness; we're no fans of the gaping shark's gob adorning the front of most Pugs. The roaring lion is redrawn, too.

Take note also of the metalwork. Vidal talks a good game about how Peugeots are going to appear lighter, nimbler, more elegant. He is keen on sculpting away from the body surface, so those scoops appear to be gouged from the bodywork – implying lightness, taking away, rather than adding heft and bulk.

What's under the pretty body?

The SR1 is a petrol-electric hybrid, showcasing the 218bhp 1.6-litre turbo up front twinned to a 95bhp electric motor turning the rear wheels.

This Hybrid4 system is coming to production Peugeots in 2011 on the 3008, but here it's used to turn Peugeot's design statement into a sporty roadster. It can operate in zero-emissions mode around town – in RWD – and yet the average figures tumble to 119g/km and 58mpg.

Perhaps the best bit of the SR1 is its interior. A pair of front seats provide accommodation for adults, and a single rear seat is centrally mounted. The front armrest slides back and forth to allow space for the rear passenger's feet.

And there's a neat attention to detail to the finishes inside. Leather, aluminium and 'black nickel' provide strokeability, clever dials appear to accelerate towards the horizon when you accelerate, and there's a solid wooden gunwale ringing the cabin. All very lovely, but less production bound than the exterior.

Source: Carmagazine.co.uk

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