1988 Peugeot Oxia Concept Car

The 1988 Peugeot Oxia concept car left no doubt about its purpose: a high-performance touring coupe. Unveiled at the Paris Auto Show, it seemed as if it had just rolled off a futuristic race track.

Unlike many prototypes, the 1988 Peugeot Oxia concept car was fully functional. Powered by a twin-turbo V-6 engine producing an impressive 670 horsepower at 8200 rpm, it combined raw power with the comfort and refinement of a luxury vehicle.

The 1988 Peugeot Oxia concept car's striking angular design can only be described as dramatic. Its wheels were positioned at the extreme corners, minimizing front and rear overhangs. The short, steep hood, featuring slatted air intakes, seamlessly merged into the expansive, steeply angled windshield.

The roofline's graceful arc extended rearward, meeting the tail at a refined tangent. At the back, a dynamic aileron seemed poised to lift the Oxia off the ground, evoking visions of space travel or tunneling through the earth.

From a top-down perspective, the car revealed a unique design, with the body widening toward the rear instead of maintaining a uniform width. The cockpit tapered sharply as it approached the roof.

Elegantly curved door windows transitioned into small triangular quarter panes. Slim spoilers hovered just above the ground, while deep cutouts accentuated the lower body sides.

As interior designer Paul Bracq noted, a careful observer could spot a clear familial connection between the Peugeot Oxia concept car and production Peugeots, extending beyond the emblem on the slatted grille.

The 1988 Peugeot Oxia concept car, with its extraterrestrial appearance, derived its name from the Oxia Palus region on Mars, located at latitude and longitude zero—the origin point for geographic mapping. Unveiled in Paris, it was hailed as a groundbreaking prototype for future high-performance vehicles.

Discover the innovative design of the 1988 Peugeot Oxia concept car by continuing to read.

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1988 Peugeot Oxia Concept Car Design

Designed at Peugeot's La Garenne research center in France, the 1988 Peugeot Oxia concept car combined futuristic technology with practicality. Senior engineer Jean Derampe described it as more than just a display model.

By integrating cutting-edge Peugeot technologies with real-world functionality, we've created a vehicle that performs seamlessly in everyday conditions.

The high-performance, transversely mounted 2849cc V-6 engine, located behind the passenger cabin, boasted four valves per cylinder and twin overhead cams on each bank. It utilized the Bosch Motronic system, equipped with dual computers for each cylinder bank.

The Peugeot Oxia concept car utilized a hydraulic twin-disc clutch connected to a 6-speed transmission, which powered the limited-slip front and rear differentials, completing its all-wheel-drive system.

All four wheels were equipped with steering, enhanced by a mechanical variable-assist system designed to improve handling at any speed. The rear spoiler, adjustable electronically, altered its angle based on speed to ensure optimal stability, even at the car's claimed top speed of 187 mph.

An advanced electronic tire monitoring system in the Peugeot Oxia concept car tracked the temperature and pressure of its 17-inch Michelin tires, mounted on lightweight magnesium alloy wheels. If an issue was detected, the system provided a safe maximum speed until repairs could be performed.

The Oxia also featured an electromagnetic locking mechanism, allowing doors to be unlocked and opened partially, either individually or all at once.

The communications hub in the Oxia showcased technologies that would later become standard in 21st-century vehicles. It featured a radiotelephone for accessing weather updates, traffic reports, and navigation details.

The Peugeot Oxia's onboard personal computer, equipped with a color display, tracker ball, and keyboard, managed travel, business, and personal tasks. By entering departure and destination points, users could view a dynamic road map that adjusted its scale based on the car's speed. The system also provided hotel information and public transit schedules for upcoming destinations.

The interior of the Peugeot Oxia concept car matched its futuristic exterior design. Learn more about it on the following page.

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1988 Peugeot Oxia Concept Car Interior

The 1988 Peugeot Oxia concept car's interior emphasized futuristic comfort. A computerized climate control system maintained consistent temperature and airflow, unaffected by external conditions. When stationary, the system relied on 18 solar cells to power air circulation within the cabin.

Entering the two-seater required navigating a high sill, but the interior offered a harmonious mix of classic leather and advanced technology. The prominent console sloped downward, featuring a conveniently placed gearshift. The aluminum dashboard was adorned with a sleek steel-blue anodized finish.

The seats, adjustable electronically, were equipped with a five-point safety harness. Bright blue carpets complemented the anthracite gray and steel blue trim. Electrically operated mirrors, positioned at eye level, aligned with the interior mirror to provide an expansive view.

For entertainment, the Peugeot Oxia concept car boasted a state-of-the-art stereo system with a compact disc player, a rarity in vehicles at the time. Both driver and passenger had access to an entertainment control panel on the door.

The car's body construction drew heavily from racing technology, balancing lightness with strength. A carbon and Kevlar-epoxy resin composite outer layer was fused to an aluminum honeycomb frame, resulting in a chassis weighing just 180 pounds.

Peugeot had a history of creating striking concept cars and iconic production models. After years of producing conservative vehicles, the company introduced the sporty 205GTI in 1984. The following year, the turbocharged 205 Turbo 16, featuring all-wheel drive and a twin-cam 16-valve engine, secured the World Rally Championship title.

At the 1985 Paris Auto Show, Peugeot unveiled the Quasar, a futuristic concept sports car designed internally, despite Pininfarina's influence on many of its production models. Like the later Oxia, the Quasar exuded a sci-fi aesthetic, with doors that swung forward and upward, reminiscent of the Lamborghini Countach.

The Quasar marked the initial phase in the evolution leading to the 1988 Peugeot Oxia concept car. Discover more about this progression on the following page.

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1988 Peugeot Oxia Concept Car Development

The development of the 1988 Peugeot Oxia concept car can be traced back to the 1985 Peugeot Quasar concept car, which offered an early glimpse of the Oxia's eventual design.

The Quasar featured large side intake ducts and a spacious glass canopy for its occupants. Twin megaphone-style exhaust pipes protruded from the rear, while its 600-horsepower engine rivaled its successor. Packed with advanced electronics from Japan's Clarion, it included a computer system for route mapping, safety checks, and traffic warnings.

In 1986, Peugeot introduced the Proxima concept, a futuristic four-wheeled vehicle that combined avant-garde design with the high-tech engineering that had made the company a rally racing powerhouse.

In 1988, a Peugeot 405 Turbo 16 rally car with four-wheel steering set a record on Pikes Peak. Peugeot's success in World Cup Championship racing also led to the development of a race car for the Sports-Prototype World Championship, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Peugeot had also ventured into electric vehicles, with several small fleets operating in Europe. In 1989, it was the only major automaker among seven finalists vying to supply electric vehicles to the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power. However, U.S. sales of conventional Peugeots declined steadily from 1984 to 1990.

Paul Bracq, Peugeot's interior styling chief, likened the Oxia concept car to classic luxury vehicles, describing it as his vision of a Delage, Delahaye, or Talbot for the 1990s. While it never hit public roads, some of its features were planned for Peugeot's racing models and potential production cars.

To prove the Oxia was more than just a display model, Peugeot allowed journalists to ride along on a French track. With a Michelin test driver behind the wheel, the car achieved an impressive 217 mph, surpassing the company's official speed claim.

Peugeot portrayed the Oxia concept car as "the embodiment of the dreamer hidden within modern man." It was described as the car "everyone desires but no one can possess."

For detailed specifications of the Peugeot Oxia concept car, proceed to the next page.

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1988 Peugeot Oxia Concept Car Specifications

The 1988 Peugeot Oxia concept car derived its name from a Martian region, and its futuristic design made it appear extraterrestrial to some. However, the specifications below confirm it was very much a product of this world.

Manufacturer: Automobiles Peugeot, Paris, France

Body design: 2-passenger, 2-door coupe; carbon-fiber and Kevlar body on aluminum structure

Powertrain layout: mid-engine, 4-wheel drive

Wheelbase: 110.2 inches

Overall length: 181.5 inches

Overall width: 79.5 inches

Overall height: 44.5 inches

Track, front: 68.3 inches

Track, rear: 66.3 inches

Weight: 3,000 pounds

Approximate price: not available

Engine type: twin turbo-charged dohc V-6 (24-valve)

Displacement (liters/cu. in.): 2.8/174

Horsepower @ rpm: 670 @ 8200

Torque (lbs./ft.) @ rpm: 535 @ 4500

Fuel delivery: Bosch Motronic fuel injection

Transmission: 6-speed manual

Suspension, front: double wishbones, coil spring/shock absorber setup

Suspension, rear: double wishbones, coil spring/shock absorber setup

Brakes: front/rear vented discs, anti-lock

1988 Peugeot Oxia Concept Car Performance

Top speed: 217 mph

0-60 mph: under 5.0 seconds

Quarter-mile: not available

mph @ quarter-mile: not available

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