Peugeot shocks Paris Motorshow with Quartz debut
The Paris Motorshow of 2014 has been a scene of groundbreaking debuts, which shocked the automotive world – and to add a little more spice to that; Peugeot has unveiled the new Quartz concept SUV. The Quartz envisions a production-ready, high-performance SUV for Peugeot in the near future and it combines the best of both worlds – where it features a striking SUV bodyshell with a saloon-based interior.
Cosmetically, the Quartz comes with full LED front and rear lights, a new grille and a low-slung roof design. While on the back, the Quartz comes with a pair of individual spoilers situated at the tip of the roofline.
Measuring in at 4500mm long and 2060mm wide, the Quartz displays a muscular stance throughout. To top off its already-aggressive look, Peugeot has fitted in a set of 23-inch bespoke alloys – which is covered with composite flaps that not only enhances its overall aerodynamics, but works to cool the brakes as well.
By backing its performance credentials, the Quartz comes with a 1.6-litre THP270 petrol engine that kicks out 168bhp per litre and 330Nm – but being developed ground-up as a plug-in hybrid, Peugeot has slotted in two additional 114bhp electric motors on each axle. In return, the Quartz puts out an enormous 493bhp worth of combined power.
The engine is paired to a conventional six-speed automatic transmission and the Quartz also comes equipped with a regenerative braking system to further charge the 400-volt battery pack. The system functions by collecting power during braking and it assists the engine’s combustion during gearshifts.
Drivers can select three types of driving modes; the ZEV mode offers up to 49km of pure-electric driving, Road mode for the usual commute and Race mode for those who want to crave more power. The Race mode works by activating the second battery pack and power is sent to all four wheels through a sophisticated limited-slip differential system.
On the inside, the Quartz comes with Peugeot’s latest i-Cockpit design – which is seen in its latest range of production cars. Each occupant is entitled to their very own bucket seat that comes with special racing harnesses as a complementary feature. Cabin materials are primarily made of leather that is accompanied alongside digitally woven textile moulds made out of recycled plastic water bottles.
To excel in driving dynamics, the engineers have fitted in a pneumatic-levelling suspension feature that accompanies the MacPherson suspensions upfront and multi-link setup at the back. The pneumatic suspension automatically adjusts the vehicle’s ride height between 300 to 350mm, depending on road and driving conditions as the system comes with a built-in camera and navigation program that monitors the road ahead.
What’s more interesting is the Quartz shares the same platform with the latest Peugeot 308 (codenamed PSA EMP2). For more information about the Quartz, visit www.peugeot.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment