Behind the Scissor Doors: Peugeot's Iconic Quasar Concept

The FIRST - In the challenging landscape of the 1980s, Peugeot faced a period where its once-charismatic image seemed to be fading. Responding to these critiques and aiming to redefine itself, Peugeot unveiled a groundbreaking concept car that would leave an indelible mark on automotive history—the Peugeot Quasar.

The Peugeot Quasar unique sports concept car was a bold testament to Peugeot's design prowess and innovation during a pivotal era for the automotive industry in 1980s. (Picture from: RoadAndTrack)

Unveiled at the 1984 Paris Motor Show, this unique sports concept car was a bold testament to Peugeot's design prowess and innovation during a pivotal era for the automotive industry. Designed under the visionary leadership of Gérard Welter, the head of Peugeot design at the time, the Quasar exhibited a futuristic and sleek front end, setting it apart from conventional designs. 

The Peugeot Quasar unique sports concept designed under the visionary leadership of Gérard Welter, the head of Peugeot design at the time and unveiled at the 1984 Paris Motor Show.. (Picture from: RoadAndTrack)

Simultaneously, the rear of the car embraced a spartan aesthetic, drawing inspiration from the world of motorsport. What made the Quasar truly unique was its status as the first concept car developed entirely in-house by Peugeot.

The Peugeot Quasar sports concept exhibited a futuristic and sleek front end, setting it apart from conventional designs, with the rear embraced a spartan aesthetic, drawing inspiration from the world of motorsport. (Picture from: RoadAndTrack)

Beneath its avant-garde exterior, the Quasar shared much of its underpinnings with the Peugeot 205 T16, a car homologated to meet Group B rally regulations. The rally-derived all-wheel-drive system, coupled with an exposed mid-mounted engine featuring a high-mounted dual exhaust, demonstrated the Quasar's performance pedigree. Powered by a 1.8-liter twin-turbo I4 engine, the car boasted an impressive 600 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque, coupled with a responsive 5-speed manual gearbox.

The interior, enveloped in a striking red hue, showcased a digital instrument cluster and a multimedia system with an abundance of buttons, creating an immersive driving experience. (Picture from: 95Octane)

As a sporty two-seater with a low profile and expansive glass surfaces, the Quasar exuded a distinctive charm. Inside the cockpit, a transparent dome revealed a one-piece full-width dashboard supported by the transmission tunnel. 

As a sporty two-seater with a low profile and expansive glass surfaces, the Quasar exuded a distinctive charm. (Picture from: RoadAndTrack)

The interior, enveloped in a striking red hue, showcased a digital instrument cluster and a multimedia system with an abundance of buttons, creating an immersive driving experience. The futuristic features included a small CRT in the dashboard housing a digital navigation system and Videotex, an early visual computer system.

Powered by a 1.8-liter twin-turbo I4 engine, the car boasted an impressive 600 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque, coupled with a responsive 5-speed manual gearbox. (Picture from: RoadAndTrack)

Despite its groundbreaking design and advanced features, the Peugeot Quasar remained a concept car, never making it to production. The sole exemplar of the Quasar now resides at the Musée de l’Aventure Peugeot in Sochaux, France, serving as a testament to Peugeot's ability to push the boundaries of automotive design and innovation.

In retrospect, the Peugeot Quasar stands as a symbol of the brand's determination to overcome challenges and redefine its identity during a period of uncertainty. The audacious concept car remains a beacon of Peugeot's commitment to pushing the boundaries of automotive design and engineering, even if it never graced the roads as a production vehicle. *** [EKA [22112023] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | 95OCTANE | ROADANDTRACK | CARSTYLING.RU ]

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