peugeot L500 R hybrid racing concept

hybrid racing concept by peugeot pays tribute to victories at indy speedway
all image courtesy of peugeot

on may 30, 1916 dario resta drove a peugeot ‘L45’ which had an average speed of 135 km/h to victory at the indianapolis 500 race in the USA. a hundred years later, the design team reinterpreted the same spirit with a ’L500 R hybrid’ concept. with its wide track, low profile and light weight is made for performance – it takes 2.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h from standstill and 19 seconds to cover 1000 meters. developed by the french carmakers sports division, the 500 bhp plug-in hybrid petrol powertrain features two electric motors plus a 270 hp gas engine, yielding peak torque of 730 Nm.

the peugeot ‘L500 R hybrid’

the streamlined profile flows from the badge on the radiator grille towards the driver and ends at a point in the rear. the designed tail-end is a nod to the car’s century-old ancestor highlighting three distinctive rear lamp claws that form part of the identity today. because the peugeot ‘L500 R hybrid’ racing car is designed to fuse its driver, with a compartment deliberately formed an individual floating capsule enclosed in the bodywork. the cockpit takes a radical motorsport stance, with a small steering wheel embedded in the structure and two holograms showing information in dual disc displays.

low profile hugs the track at each corner

in their quest for aerodynamic refinement, the peugeot team refreshed the original ‘L45’ two seat architecture to produce a single seater that offers a virtual co-pilot an amplified real-time racing experience through a virtual reality headset.

‘with peugeot L500 R hybrid, we’re paying tribute to peugeot racing exploits dating to the early 20th century,’ explains matthias hossann, peugeot’s concept car and technological advance chief. ‘inspired by this spirit of performance and innovation we wanted to convey a sculptural, elegant and technological view of the future of peugeot motor sport.’

the tail end is a nod to the car’s century-old ancestor