PARIS 2014 – PEUGEOT EXALT: SUBLIMATION OF SEDAN

Introduced at the Beijing Auto Show in April 2014, the concept car Exalt returned to Paris at the Paris Motor Show with slight changes. This show car tends to prove that Peugeot is very interested in producing a high-end sedan in the coming years.

Make no mistake: the Exalt was not born Coupé to which designers would have added 2 openings. The Exalt is, according to in-house designers, the SUBLIMATION OF A SEDAN: a complete sedan with its codes and comfort…but with a dynamic and elegant appearance.

The standout element of the exterior designed by Romain Saquet, is clearly the “clean cut” on the rear part, delimitating the use of the microstructure material inspired by « sharkskin » which attracts and accelerates air cells in order to reduce aero drag. If it was ocher in Beijing, it is dark gray in Paris. The rest of the car body is still finished in untreated steel. The body will oxidize and will evolve throughout the years…

The interior architecture, according to its designer Alessandro Riga, is designed for the human body, around the human body. The lower part is comfortable and envelops the cabin up to the chest. Material choice is made around the idea of LOCAL SOURCING: depending on the location of sales and production, parts are manufactured with technical and local products. In Beijing the dashboard was carved in a wood coming from China, while in Paris and Europe the same part is made of recycled compressed paper to give the feeling of wood and remembering the business pages of major newspapers. We’re talking here about UPCYCLING since wood is « reincarnated » and somehow “back to life”. As Lavoisier (1743-1794, Chemist) said: “nothing is lost, nothing is created, and everything is transformed”.

The attention given to the cockpit (see 208 and 308) is part of the Design Manifest of Peugeot and Alessandro Riga gave a particular consciousness to the top part of it in the Exalt. The information is fully oriented toward the human with the head up display instrumentation. Detail of great importance, Alessandro told us that his theme was inspired by the universe of music with its impression of freedom given to hands especially with these 7 keys « piano » that are totally configurable.

The Exalt is using the “Hybrid4 system” developing 340Hp in theory for a total weight of 1.700 kgs.

By showing this car in Paris after Beijing, there is no doubt that Peugeot has something in mind…let’s be patient…