The Peugeot Asphalte is a concept car presented at the 1996 Paris Motor Show. It was a low roadster with four wheels in a trapezoid layout, a single or two-seat cockpit, and almond-shaped headlights that set the style of Peugeots for the following decade.
Peugeot Asphalte at a glance
| Type | concept car, roadster / barquette |
|---|---|
| Shown | Paris Motor Show, 1996 |
| Layout | four wheels in a trapezoid arrangement |
| Seats | single or two-seat, modular |
| Engine | 1.6-litre four-cylinder, 8 valves, single overhead camshaft |
| Fuel system | injection |
| Power | 90 hp |
| Top speed | 200 km/h |
| Notable | almond-shaped headlights, a Peugeot design first |
based on one short source; no free photographs of the car were found, the existing thumbnail stays
History of the Peugeot Asphalte
A design study
The Asphalte was shown at the 1996 Paris Motor Show alongside the Peugeot Touareg. It was a barquette, roadster or spider: a low, open sports car with four wheels arranged in a trapezoid, and a cockpit that could be single or two-seat. Its driving seat sat almost on the ground, which gave the car its name.
Headlights that changed the range
The Asphalte introduced almond-shaped headlights at Peugeot, a shape that marked the design of the brand from the end of the 1990s, starting with the Peugeot 206, until the end of the 2000s.
Engine
Power came from a 1.6-litre four-cylinder eight-valve single overhead camshaft engine with injection, producing 90 hp for a top speed of 200 km/h.
Influence
The car anticipated several later Peugeot concepts: the 20Cup of 2005, the Flux of 2007 and the EX1 and SR1 of 2010.
Design and features
- Low roadster: a barquette with the seat close to the ground.
- Trapezoid wheels: an unusual four-wheel layout.
- Almond headlights: the shape that reached production with the 206.
- Modular cockpit: one or two seats, depending on the configuration.
- Influence: a starting point for the 20Cup, Flux, EX1 and SR1.
Peugeot Asphalte versions
- Asphalte (1996): the single concept car shown at Paris.
The Asphalte’s headlights reached production on the Peugeot 206, and its ideas returned in the 20Cup and the EX1. More in the Peugeot collection.
Video: Peugeot Asphalte
Video by on YouTube.
Sources
- Peugeot Asphalte, French Wikipedia: presentation, layout, engine, design influence
