Paris Motor Show: Peugeot plans sexier Qashqai rival

Peugeot's big concept car for the Paris Motor Show (aside from a reworked Exalt saloon concept which, for some reason, now has an elctric scooter in the boot...) is this, the Quartz.

Owing a clear stylistic debt to Peugeot's recently-revealed 2008 DKR off-road racer, the Quartz brings some aggressive new styling to Peugeot's SUV body language. It would be easy to argue that the current 2008 and 3008 are just a bit too plain looking compared to some rivals, but the Quartz suggests that Peugeot is about to swing for the boundary when it comes to creating its next Qashqai rival.

Under the skin, the Quartz is pure concept show car fantasy. Although its petrol engine is based on the production 1.6-litre turbo petrol from the 208 GTI, here with 270hp, there are also two electric motors - a 115hp one on the front axle and abother 85hp one on the rear axle to provide four wheel drive. That makes for 470hp all-up, with electric power coming from a massive 400v battery stack. Peugeot says that it's a plugin unit, and when charged from the mains, it can go for 50km on a full charge. It's a two-mode system; 'Road Mode' uses the engine and the front electirc motor, while the rear motor is used just for charging the battery when coasting. In 'Race Mode' all three motors work together for maximum-attack power.

There’s also pneumatic suspension which can adjust the ride height from 300mm to 350mm and massive 23” alloy wheels finished in slate grey.

Aside from the blue-sky technology though, the Quartz introduces a note of hope that Peugeot might start to introduce more exciting, more aggressively styled cars as it seeks to underpin its recent financial recovery.