Peugeot SR1 concept signals bold new direction

These images provide the clearest indication yet of Peugeot's new design direction -- and the good news is that the gaping-mouthed grille that has lately been one of the brand's trademarks is consigned to history.

Pictured alongside is the svelte SR1 concept, a stylish drop-top design study that features a hybrid powertrain and a novel three-seat cabin layout. And it's not just a pie-in-the-sky concept either, as PSA group design director Jean-Pierre Ploue has strongly hinted the SR1 is the precursor to a showroom-ready vehicle.

Ploue has also suggested the 207 replacement, due next year, will borrow its styling inspiration from the SR1. Adding to its significance, the SR1 debuts a revised version of Peugeot's iconic lion badge.

Following in the wheeltracks of the sensuous RCZ, the SR1 signals a further return to form (in design terms) for Peugeot, as it seeks to replicate the renaissance of Citroen in recent years.

Bearing some similarities to the Aston Martin Vantage and Jaguar XK, the SR1 is distinguished by classic sportscar proportions, with a high waistline and short front and rear overhangs.

Propulsion for the SR1 comes from the same HYbrid4 architecture as the 3008 hybrid, in which a 163kW 1.6-litre turbocharged engine powers the front wheels, while a 71kW electric motor drives the rears.

The combined power output is a robust 234kW, yet Peugeot quotes a miserly overall consumption figure of 4.1L/100km, and CO2 emissions of just 119g/km. The vehicle can function in electric-only (zero-emission) mode for short inner-city stints.

Other technical highlights include a speed-sensitive four-wheel-steer system that's claimed to offer greater manoeuvrability in tight car parks along with greater stability and control at pace.

The futuristic interior makes ample use of black nickel and satin-finished chrome, but traditional materials such as chrome and wood haven't been overlooked either. The novel 2+1 seating arrangement situates the lone rear passenger centrally.

The surprise-and-delight quota also includes a pair of crystal tubes that sprout up behind the steering wheel, and these display instantaneous fuel consumption and remaining range. Meanwhile, a Bell&Ross wristwatch slots into a housing next to the LCD screen in the centre console.

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