500 HP Peugeot Quartz Concept Previews Future French SUV at Paris 2014

Part of the problem is the people working at Peugeot and Renault have been designing MPVs for so long that they don't know how to make anything else. After years of struggling with models like the weird 3008 and 5008, they decided to start with a clean slate and make everything cool and sporty.

The Quartz is their preview, a small and dynamic looking machine that blew up on the scene at the Paris Motor Show today. Peugeot are masters of the subtle overstatement, if there is such a thing, as their SUV is both radical and subtle enough to transition into a production model.

This SUV measures only 4.5 meters in length and roll on huge 23-inch wheels. Above the belt line, the greenhouse is not only chopped like a coupe, but also sloped at the back. A massive spoiler on top of the boot and 3D taillights both hint at Peugeot's new Dakar rally racer.

“With the EXALT and QUARTZ Concepts, the Brand is showcasing its vision of the high-end automotive market. Peugeot is committed to developing exclusive concepts for its customers through outstanding design, innovative materials and unparalleled sensations,” says Maxime Picat, the brand CEO.

Too much power can be a good thing

Underneath that Lamborghini-like body is a powertrain that matches the output of the very early Gallardos from a decade ago, but with a much smaller displacement. Peugeot used the 1.6-liter petrol engine from the RCZ R, which is capable of 270 PS, and matched it to some electrical wizardry to boost the total number to 500 PS. There's one electric motor at the back and one at the front, each with 115 PS (85 kW), and they can directly power the car for up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) before a charge is needed.

If you stick the Quartz into its Race mode, everything works at the same time to give you maximum acceleration. Peugeot won't say how fast its concept is, but a 0 to 100 km/h number would be kind of pointless, considering a 500 PS compact SUV made in France will never happen.

Peugeot is crazy about materials

Like all its other concepts, Peugeot's SUV features a multitude of textile finishes. Outside, we have flashes of red and streaks of matte black, like an uncut precious stone that's still encased in rock. For the interior, the designers chose basalt, which forms when magma cools, a mix of textile, leather and polyester.