|
Price |
|
-- |
Production |
|
-- |
|
Engine |
1.6
liter |
Weight |
3142
lbs |
|
Aspiration |
-- |
Torque |
353
lb-ft |
|
HP |
313
hp |
HP/Weight |
10
lbs per hp |
|
HP/Liter |
136.3 hp per liter |
1/4 mile |
-- |
|
0-62 mph |
4.4
seconds |
Top Speed |
-- |
(from Peugeot Press
Release) Environmental efficiency combined with motoring
passion
The RC HYmotion4 is a
concept car born from the passion and expertise of Peugeot's
stylists and engineers. This "GT" coupe is the missing link between
the RC and RC concept cars revealed in 2002 and the 908 RC, one of
the stars of the 2006 Paris Motor Show. It is a real laboratory of
future ideas, bringing together numerous stylistic, engineering and
technological ideas in a single vehicle.
The RC HYmotion4 is an accessible and versatile car, with four
doors, four seats and four wheel drive, coupled with a highly
innovative electric/petrol hybrid architecture (HYmotion4
technology).
Its aim: a very high
level of efficiency both in terms of performance (with its potential
230 kW/313 bhp) and minimal impact on the environment (CO2 emissions
of 109 g/km in the combined cycle or Zero in electric mode).
It is an exciting, eco-effi
cient vehicle which has all the characteristics that create a real
passion for driving. A synthesis of ideas that demonstrates that
respect for the environment and driving pleasure can be compatible.
The dawn of a new day…
Over the distant horizon, the already powerful rays of the rising
sun strike the façades of the buildings in their path. Among them,
the expansive glazed façade of the Peugeot Design Centre which
immediately embrace the new light of day.
Daylight then fills the
immense workshop where undetected activity has long been in
progress.
In fact, right here at this time, a small army of stylists are
adding the fi nal touches to their latest creation.
As their eyes gradually
adjust to the brightness, each stands back from their work, exposing
the contours of the car's body to the rays of the sun.
Centimetre by centimetre
the sun's rays caress the car's carbon "skin", highlighting its pure
and sensual contours. They illuminate the Lion badge at the
front of the car, the strongly styled lines of the bonnet and the
expressive design of the headlamps, bringing the shape to life. The
latter also blend harmoniously together in an uninterrupted flow
that emphasises the muscular design of the wheel arches, the raised
window line and the two doors on either side of the vehicle.
A second team of
engineers also share these intense and short moments. They are
finishing the installation of the particularly innovative hybrid
traction system into this automotive sculpture.
As, in the great
tradition of Peugeot concept cars, this vehicle is an automobile fi
rst and foremost. It is a car which is fully in step with the times,
but it is technologically ahead of its time. The 1.6 litre THP
engine which is fitted at the rear of the vehicle is combined with a
70 kW electric motor under the bonnet.
The end result is a
maximum power of 230 kW (313 bhp), ensuring high levels of driving
pleasure, combined with CO2 emissions in the combined cycle of only
109 g/km, or zero in electric only drive mode. Another major
innovation made possible by the design is the vehicle's four-wheel
drive system, which directly benefi ts road holding and therefore
safety.
Many other new features
are available on the vehicle, for example the original design of the
suspension and the on-board technology within the passenger
compartment, again benefi ting both driving comfort and the
wellbeing of its four potential occupants.
On this morning in the
middle of August, the company's senior managers are also on the
scene. Because being present at the birth of a new concept car is a
rare event, a privileged moment.
They soak up the atmosphere surrounding the new car, instilled with
all the values of the Lion badge.
These values, modernised or reinterpreted, remain fundamentally the
same. In this cradle of design of future vehicles, there reigns a
mood charged with emotion and passion, a genuine love of the motor
car.
Right in front of the
eyes of these onlookers, a new page in Peugeot's history is being
written.
The RC HYmotion4 is in
fact the forerunner of many new traits: details, major trends, and
also futuristic technologies… It therefore occupies a place of
honour in the Peugeot space at the Paris Motor Show, alongside other
vehicles also pointing the way towards new horizons.
But this car is the
forerunner of something else too.
This four-door "GT", the
missing link between the RC ♠ and RC ◆ concept cars of 2002 and the
908 RC of 2006, embodies the permanency of Peugeot's values, focused
on driving pleasure from every perspective.
In this endeavour, the
technology used to improve the environmental efficiency has in no
way compromised the design, aerodynamics, style or driving pleasure.
On the contrary, these innovations are adaptable and in the final
analysis make driving pleasure more accessible.
The RC HYmotion4 is
therefore synonymous with pure motoring enjoyment, yet at the same
time is environmentally-friendly.
It is a vehicle proud to
assert that in a world where the pace of change grows ever quicker,
the founding values of Peugeot have never been lost, and that the fl
ame of motoring passion continues to burn brightly.
We are at the dawn of a
new day…but one which is not so different from any other.
A day which follows on
from those that preceded it.
A day like many others
in Peugeot's history. A day the likes of which we shall no doubt see
again… made possible by passionate and inspired men and women bound
together by a real confi dence in themselves and in the future.
At the start, the idea was to reinterpret the codes of a "leisure
vehicle" in the form of an attractive and exciting concept car which
offered a level of modernity and technology in harmony with the
times and with the environment.
Next, came the notion of
sharing and the ability to enjoy the car everywhere, from the racing
track to the urban environment.
The concept engendered
by these considerations is a four-door coupé with a strong, dynamic
and pleasing style. A vehicle which through its visual dimensions
and interior versatility would be accessible to the largest possible
number of motoring enthusiasts.
Its proportions are
governed by an original and innovative architecture allowing the
incorporation of avant-garde mechanical assemblies. Mechanical
assemblies oriented towards effi ciency, capable of combining high
performance and environmental effi ciency of the highest order.
Architecture/Engine
Externally, the
vehicle's architecture places the driver's seat as far forward as
possible, thereby benefiting style, driveability and available space
for four potential passengers.
The vehicle's carbon
skin conceals a petrol engine, the 1.6 litre THP, which offers a
maximum power of 160 kW (218 bhp), the same as in the 308 RCZ
concept car.
This engine is located
transversally in a central position at the rear of the vehicle,
allowing suffi cient interior space to seat four occupants while at
the same time ensuring a large boot capacity. But in addition
to this method of propulsion, the vehicle also has another mode of
traction.
Under the bonnet is a 70
kW (95 bhp) electric motor. This is powered by "lithium-ion"
batteries and is recharged by an energy recovery system which
operates during both deceleration and braking. The batteries are
ideally positioned in the central "transmission" tunnel running
through the passenger compartment.
On the latter, the
driver will also fi nd the gear change control for the
electronically-controlled six-speed manual gearbox. With no
mechanical connections between the front and the rear power units,
the system is controlled entirely and automatically by electronics
using "by Wire" technology as used for the fi rst time on the Hoggar,
the concept car which appeared in 2003 and was equipped at the time
with two HDi FAP diesel engines.
The RC HYmotion4 can
thus be driven in different ways:
-- in electric only
mode (to start up, in town at low speed and when decelerating),
-- in petrol engine only mode, at constant speeds on the open
road or on motorways, when the engine can achieve its optimal
efficiency,
-- with both engines combined:
-- During phases of acceleration for extra power ("boost"
function), making possible a maximum power of
-- 160+70=230 kW (≈ 313 bhp) and a maximum torque of 178 Nm at
the front and 280 Nm at the rear, In four-wheel drive mode, when
road conditions warrant it.
In fact the layout of
this electric/petrol hybrid system allows four wheel drive under all
circumstances, benefiting safety and driveability.
This hybrid technology,
as well as its special innovative layout, is an important vector of
research and development within the PSA Peugeot Citroën group. On
Peugeot's stand at the Paris Motor Show this innovative system
called "HYmotion", is presented in a number of different formats,
featuring different types of engines. The "HYmotion4" technology is
represented here in its most extreme version.
Finally, an additional
benefit provided by the vehicle's architecture is the optimal front
and rear weight distribution, with minimal weight in both the front
and rear overhangs.
Exterior style
The vehicle's innovative
architecture is above all a plus for the style of the car.
Indeed technological
developments required for the car's dynamic and environmental
efficiency, as well as the dimensions imposed by the presence of
four seats in the passenger compartment, posed no constraints
whatsoever on the flair of the stylists.
On the contrary, the
size inspires and immediately suggests an aerodynamic and fi nely
sculpted vehicle.
Every square millimetre
of the bodywork has been carefully studied and modelled to give the
concept a dynamic and appealing profile. This profile reinvents
Peugeot's inherent codes while going still further in the search for
overall balance and modern, flowing contours.
The sense of motion
begins at the very front of the vehicle, where the Lion badge is
framed by air intakes that give indications of the car's excellent
aerodynamic efficiency.
This expressive
character is enhanced by the headlamps, designed with Peugeot's
stylistic genes in mind, but made even more attractive here by the
use of LED technology. These headlamps are the starting point
of a waist line which lends structure to the car's overall dynamic
and fl owing profi le, supporting the plunging window line and
highlighting the muscular design of the wings. These lateral
contours then come together at the rear to draw out a shape
suggestive of the powerful claws of a lion.
The rear lights are contained within this area and also make a
passing reference to the manufacturer's long history, the 504 coupé
and cabriolet from 1969, the 307 CC, and now the 308 CC.
From a higher
perspective, we discover more original characteristics, such as the
double glass roof, crossed by lines originating on the bonnet which
merge into the Naca unit at the rear of the roof and end finally in
an embossed area on the boot encircling the rear logo.
The interior
As for the bodywork, an
original ambience reigns in the interior of the RC HYmotion4. The
passenger compartment succeeds in evoking the world of sport and
ultra-modernity, thanks to the fi nish of particular details and its
contrasting play of light and shadow.
The high quality
materials of the passenger compartment (leather, aluminium, chrome,
carbon) and the four low-slung seats create an ambience that will
delight the senses of smell and touch of motor car purists
everywhere.
The very "aeronautical"
design of the fascia panel helps give the interior space a modern
feel, with a fi nish consisting of two horizontal sections. Between
the latter, numerous items of equipment are housed on a uniform
black-lacquered background: digital displays in front of the driver
(for instrumentation and visual feedback from the rear view cameras)
and in front of the passenger (for leisure activities). In the
centre there is a large touch screen controlling the audio functions
of the Triangle® hi-fi system, the satellite navigation, the air
conditioning and the car's various settings.
In another original stylistic feature, the central "transmission"
tunnel continues onto the roof, in the manner of a "scorpion's
tail", making a passing reference to the RC and concept cars.
This feature can be
back-lit, as can the digital readouts on the fascia panel, to create
an original ambience which can be personalised according to the mood
of the driver.
Structure and suspension
Weight is a key factor
in the dynamic and environmental effi ciency of any vehicle. The RC
HYmotion4 has therefore been designed to optimise this parameter.
Its structure thus comprises a
"space-frame" type aluminium body ensuring overall lightness and
rigidity, to which are fi tted the mechanical assemblies and the
suspension. Similarly, all bodywork components are manufactured from
composite materials.
The suspension, a field
in which Peugeot has acknowledged expertise, consists of double
aluminium wishbones at the front and at the rear. The system uses a
particularly innovative technology known as "kineticTM H2 CES".
This system, developed
by the company TENNECO, allows a very high level of road holding
with no adverse effect on comfort. The principle is to control body
roll and damping functions by means of a hydraulic link between the
right and left-hand shock absorbers. This system, which avoids the
need for an anti-roll bar, ensures the car remains fl at when
cornering while at the same time providing excellent vibration
filtration.
Braking is by means of
four ventilated brake discs, and in particular the front electric
motor which recovers energy in order to recharge the batteries. The
wheels are fitted with Michelin 225/45 R19 tyres.
Aerodynamics
The car's aerodynamic
specification has been studied with particular care to attain a
measured Cx value of 0.24 and an SCx of 0.494. Air flows have been
modelled in the wind tunnel to optimise the car's performance and
fuel consumption while ensuring the necessary cooling capacity for
both engines.
The four-part front air
intake overcomes the problem of heat build up in relation to the
lithium-ion batteries.
It is also favourable to
aerodynamic performance, with extraction of the internal flow taking
place upstream of the front wheels. To optimise overall efficiency
at all times, these air intakes are controlled by a system of
movable flaps.
Cooling of the petrol
engine and its two intercoolers is by means of two side air intakes
and the Naca unit located at the rear of the roof. Air is then
extracted via two recesses in the lower rear panel.
A system of carbon wheel "discs" improves the vehicle's penetration
through the air by covering and streamlining each wheel, while at
the same time preserving their very dynamic style.
Lastly, the flat under
floor and the rear diffuser help enhance overall efficiency.
This carefully designed
aerodynamic specification also avoids the need for a spoiler,
thereby enhancing the car's pure profi le.
An environmentally-friendly car
with passion
With its carefully
designed aerodynamic specification and reduced weight, an electric
motor at the front and a petrol engine offering excellent
thermodynamic efficiency at the rear, the RC HYmotion4 is designed
to offer a new level of environmental effi ciency in its category
and is fully in step with the times (4.5 litres/100 km, CO2
emissions of 109 g/km in the combined cycle or Zero in electric
mode).
However this technology
also makes it possible above all to maintain the motoring passion
and the values of the Peugeot Marque in terms of both style and
driveability. Powered by a hybrid power plant offering a maximum
power of 230 kW (313 bhp), four-wheel drive and an ultra-modern
suspension, its performance is worthy of that of the best GTs (0 to
100 kph in 4.4 seconds, 80 to 120 kph in just 3.0 seconds) and all
this with incomparable driving pleasure and minimal impact on the
environment.
