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This big, elegant saloon is our first look at Peugeot’s new design theme, which will be launched in 2010 with the replacement for the 407 - the Peugeot 408. Currently known as the RC Concept, the car’s full name will be revealed when the car is launched at the Paris show in October.
The first project to be carried out by the team working under Peugeot’s new design boss Jerome Gallax, the four-seat RC will heavily influence the look of the 408, especially the rear three-quarters of the car.
Apart from the 607, the 407 is the oldest car in the company’s current design cycle, and as the car that started Peugeot’s current ‘feline’ look, its replacement will be the car that introduces the firm’s new look.
The car also moves on from the company’s front-end styling, replacing the current wide-mouthed grille with a much smaller shield grille incorporating the Peugeot Lion logo. It’s likely that this will also make it into production.
Peugeot isn't revealing details of the RC’s powertrain until Paris. It has said the hybrid set-up is capable of producing a hefty 313bhp and emitting just 109g/km of CO2. A company spokesperson said that Peugeot would not have made these claims if the figures were not achievable.
Despite the low CO2 output usually associated with diesels, this drivertrain could be a petrol-electric hybrid engine. Peugeot’s diesel hybrid programme has been put on hold after the firm withdrew a claim for EU funding because it believed there were too many restrictions that would compromise the viability of the project.
Peugeot has since committed to funding diesel hybrids itself, but the first car will now be later than the original 2010 launch date and is likely to be a stand-alone model rather than the modified 308 initially planned.
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