This here is the Peugeot SR1 hybrid 2+1 seater roadster concept that will be displayed for the first time at the upcoming 2010 Geneva Salon in March. The significance of the SR1 lies in its styling as the French automaker revealed that it foretells the stylistic design trends for its future models.
In short, this concept car showcases the firm's new design language that abandons the chunky shapes and the much criticized gaping-mouth grille of the current Peugeots in favor of more elegant and sharper looks that hark back to the Pininfarina-era Pugs.
The concept itself, which bears a passing resemblance to Aston Martin's Vantage V8, is a proposal for a low-slung roadster model with a hybrid powertrain.
The SR1's interior, is pure concept though we might see the driver-orientated center console making its way into Peugeot's future production models. The roadster can seat up to three in a 2+1 layout with the rear seat mounted centrally.
The roadster makes use of Peugeot's HYbrid4 technology, which will be available in the company's 3008 crossover from 2011. A front-mounted 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a power output of 218 bhp is combined with a rear electric motor developing 95 bhp.
When the two power trains work simultaneously, the SR1 develops a potential maximum power of 313bhp and also benefits from four-wheel drive.
Peugeot said that in electric only mode, the car becomes a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV), with a combined cycle fuel consumption of 4.9 lt/100km (48.0mpg US) and CO2 emissions of just 119 g/km.
The concept model also benefits from the adoption of 4-wheel steering with the turning angle of the rear wheels controlled as a function of the vehicle speed, via motorized links on the rear wishbones.
