2002 Peugeot
Design contest entry: Design based on the theme of 'Retrofuturism': A car of
the future influenced by early Peugeot models. 2002 Peugeot
Design contest entry: Design based on the theme of 'Retrofuturism': A car of
the future influenced by early Peugeot models.
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The Peugeot 808 Légende story...
My friends, feast with me upon this tale of fantastical proportions, for it is a vision so vivid, and as real as I sit here today.
This tale begins tomorrow - during the year 2008. It is the dawn of the 8th of August on the driveway of Chateau Vandoncourt - for the benefit of those who require detail; Vandoncourt is the location where Peugeot history began its epic voyage. The date being numerically significant as it reflects the cars name: the Peugeot 808 Légende.
But why the name 808 Légende I hear you cry! To this I say that this specimen of a machine is a legend in the present for its design features carefully extracted from the Peugeot vehicles' historical DNA - and a legend in the future for its immortal overall design. No doubt, the '808' numerical characters are loosely based on the loop symbol of infinity and was also chosen for being memorable to play on peoples' minds.
As I entered the driveway there was the Peugeot 808 Légende, a car akin to a mythical beast waiting to pounce into life. Graceful yet brutal, and sculpted from the magic that dreams are made from.
The 808 Légende could not have been anything but of a two-seater roadster configuration and as such embodies extreme performance with style and desirability: this truly is a Peugeot! Recognisable by its bold features such as the long slender Cat's Eyes headlamps.
Anyway, take heed my friends: Resting my sights upon the 808 Légende I bore witness to the fact that the spirit of its design was based on the 1935 402 Darl' Mat. The shape echoed that of the aerodynamic Sochaux Rocket range.
Where the ribs ran near to the front underbelly, just behind the front wheels, was a visual delight. The 'corrugated' protrusions gradually altered in colour depending on the speed the vehicle was being driven at. At rest they were of a cool chrome appearance... but at full speed they become a fiery deep red, slightly illuminating as if heralding its grand arrival.
The shape of the 808 itself was truly sumptuous - masculine but yet feminine in detail.
Much like the 402, the 808 featured a more prominent front - almost imposing. Rather than the rear wheels being covered, the 808 smoothly tapered in towards the back with the rear wheels smaller than the front ones.
The aggressive, planet-hugging camber of the front wheels were reflected in the rear with a negative angle giving it a dynamic and bewitching appearance. The front wheels were appropriately named as 'Cat's Claw' wheels and the smaller rear set as 'Cat's Paw'. Much wit had been injected into this machine!
The 10-spoke compound wheels were featured in the front (similar to the 402's 10 'notched' wheel caps). These spokes intersected and protruded through the wheel circumference as the 'tyre' tread and were semi-transparent. These extremely tough spokes with the compressible tread ends allowed the panel of the Sochaux Rocket profile behind the wheels to be fully visible; not only that but the Rocket profile had the Peugeot Lion emblazoned on it which could illuminate if desired.
The surface finish of the body was of a shimmering metallic grey with a ChomaFlair type effect that changed to a rich burgundy red depending on the angle it was viewed from. Upon closer inspection the surface was intricately patterned with fine burgundy speckles of varying densities.
A common shape that was present throughout the genius design was the trapezium found on the Peugeot shield. Variations of the shape were notable on the side red 'windows' above the wheels and next to the doors, the front bonnet and side grills; windscreen, side chrome trim and boot lid; and the filnally the rear grill.
Whilst digesting the view I saw the new Peugeot lion design located around the car - a sleeker look with smooth curves intersecting at points on the edges.
The 808 Légende's shape was inspired by a two-seater
402 Darl' Mat and designed with retro features of the Peugeots of old. So
hear me when I say that just like the 402, the 808 also had rear-hinged doors.
When looking down from the top, the front
profile of the wheel arches and grill area were of a similar shape to that
of its forebear.
The side-trim detail
over the front wheels and along the wings was also reflected in the style of
the door handles. Their shape was an adaptation of the same
detailing found on the 402.
The wrap-around windscreen reminded me of the 1936 402 Andreau but with the 808 having an aerodynamically sculpted transparent cocoon perched on its body.
A decorative trim line swept from the left and right of the front grill, around where the D-pillars would be, over the sides of the roof and finally meeting above the windscreen as found on the 1937 402 Darl' Mat Sport. This feature also varied in colour just like the ribs with glorious shades of yellow and red.
Now, you see, just as the 1947 402 Darl' Mat Monoplace sported air vents on its top and sides on the bonnet just in front of the cabin area - the 808 had them too in the familiar trapezium shape.
From the front view I could see the 'negative angle' of the body around the door area inspired by the wonderful 1954 203 Roadster Cales. This influence could also be seen in headlamps 'resting' on top of the bonnet / wings, and the grid within the front grill. The front 'bumper' shape when viewed from the front accentuated this as it dips at the centre and then rises up towards the wheels.
The aggressive looking 1933 Track Car provided the inspiration for the 808's side wings that stretch along the length of the car over the wheels and protrude from the sides between the wheelbase.
Parallel to the wings was a feature recognisable to those familiar with the 1934 601 DL-BA9: a section of side body panelling of a different colour to the main body spanning from the front grill to behind the doors. This had a regal chrome finish with a touch of burgundy which matched the side wing edges between the wheelbase, similar to the 1950 Cabriolet 203.
Just as the 1941 VLV electric, the 808, sensibly, incorporated hybrid fuel technologies such as solar energy and the use of the abundant element of hydrogen.
The 808 also had a central headlamp, 'but where?' I hear you ask. Around the border of the front grill shield, a circle of light haloed the Peugeot Lion. The overall body shape was also similar to the VLV electric, with the wide front and narrow rear.
The 808's rear compartment was shaped like the front of a 1901 Type 36 that had been inverted to bring it into harmony with the rest of the design. This housed a folding roof as with the 1936 Sedan 301 D, it opened and closed with two transparent sections - a top and back window - to form the 1913 Bebe inspired triangular roof. The Bebe was also reflected in the 808's side profile of the bonnet and windscreen where the bonnet area was in two angled sections with differing gradients.
Where the D-pillars would normally be, the bulge of the wings was reminiscent of the 1961 Coupé 404 but exaggerated somewhat - after all, this was the 808 Légende!
At the very back of the 808's side wings, the fluidly shaped rear wheel covers were of the type found on the 1892 Type 4 for the Bey of Tunis.
Having examined the grand exterior I proceeded to enter the equally sumptuous interior...
The carpet was of an ornate design just like the Type 4 and similarly the luxurious seats were constructed from vertical sections of burgundy leather. The headrest of the seats had the Peugeot lion emblem proudly placed in its centre.
I sat myself down and saw before me the distinctive shape of the dashboard and that the steering wheel arms were like that of the 1882 Grand Bi Penny Farthing handlebars. A sign of Peugeot's origins in the concept and design of machines for travel - it seemed fitting to commemorate this.
It is also worth mentioning the lion's mighty roar heard in the undertones of the 808's engine noise - one of the many features that made this a truly great Peugeot!
This is my tale that I have told you, my friends, of which I am sure you will be most satisfied. But make haste and continue to feast your eyes on the visual feast that is the Peugeot 808 Légende...
Mujammil Khan-Muztar. 2002
(Images used from various internet sources: home.tiscali.nl/~rrcgog/auto/Peugeot.html,
www.peugeot.ru/ etc)
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