Resembling an imposing 2-seater buggy, the Peugeot Hoggar looks avant-garde and unreal at first sight. Vast open spaces spring to mind, easily accessible to judge from the car’s robustness and latent power.
Getting there would be an even more pleasing and relaxing prospect in the knowledge that this concept car relies on unique and proven HDi engineering solutions, enhanced by original technology, such as the adoption of two power trains and appropriate wheels and suspension.
Rest assured that far-flung destinations are also well within reach, since this 2-seater Diesel HDi has a great range, as well as particulate emission filters that make it environmentally friendly like other models in the Peugeot range.
The style In elevation, the Hoggar has no overhang, thereby offering a highly compact volume with condensed proportions.
The front wing rises over the tyre and falls back gently, before rising again abruptly at the rear wheel.
This creates a general profile that is both elegant and dynamic and which, combined with the rear projection, expresses the strength and robustness of a crouching animal ready to pounce.
Following the example of the RC and RC , the bonnet’s front end envelops the grille, which houses the lion badge of the marque. Its rear end extends into the passenger compartment by means of dual, rounded sections that pass through the windscreen and culminate in two instrument panels.
The cat-like headlamps resemble half-closed but watchful eyes, while at the rear a sinewy impression is created, reinforcing the animal nature of the Hoggar, ready to leap from dune to dune.
The cultured interior features the refinement of metal and leather. Like everything which the passengers are in contact with, the dynamically designed seats are padded and covered with supple leather synonymous with luxury and comfort.
Engineering
The Hoggar is a sports car for extreme conditions, with two seats and two up to the minute power trains deployed transversally, one at the front, the other at the rear, giving it the attributes of a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
The car consists principally of a one-piece carbon honeycomb shell reinforced by two upper longitudinal roll-over bars made from stainless steel, each with a diameter of 76 mm. These tubes also serve as an air intake and air conduit to the front engine (left-hand tube) and rear engine (right-hand tube). At the front of the carbon structure, as at the rear, there is a tubular sub-frame designed to support each power train. Attached to the carbon shell at six points at the front and four at the rear, these tubular frames also accommodate all suspension fittings, including the double wishbones.
Each power train incorporates the same turbocharged four-cylinder Diesel HDi
engine with dual overhead camshaft and sixteen valves. Their displacement is 2168 cm3 and their maximum power 133 kW. The two engines therefore supply a combined power of 266 kW or nearly 360 bhp and a maximum torque of ….. 800 Nm.
Each engine’s exhaust line has a catalytic converter, a particulate emission filter (PEF) and a silencer. The left-hand line corresponds to the front engine, while the righthand line corresponds to the rear engine.
Both radiators are set well back at windscreen level to reduce the length of the front overhang. While the radiators are common to both engines, the one on the right features a low temperature loop to cool the intake air. Air from outside is captured at the front of the vehicle and is supplied to the radiators through a conduit incorporated in the bonnet lining.
Each power train has its own electronics. A global electronic control unit (the
supervisor) distributes instructions to both engines from a single accelerator pedal and a single gearbox control. The supervisor controls all safety functions and provides downgrade modes if necessary (for example with a single engine).
Two separate fuel tanks each with a capacity of 80 l give the vehicle a considerable range in view of the low fuel consumption of the HDi engines.
Each ML 6C gearbox is driven by electrically-controlled hydraulic actuators. The sequential gear change operates by means of control plates under the steering wheel or a lever on the central console. A fully automatic mode is also available.
The Hoggar can of course be driven with only one of its two power trains.
The suspension of this concept car features double wishbones at the front and rear. Each axle is equipped with an anti-roll bar. The light-alloy wishbones allow generous clearance both in terms of compression
(250 mm) and expansion (250 mm). To guarantee steering accuracy despite a total travel of 500 mm, each front suspension unit has a decoupled pivot. The four suspension units are fitted with two spring/gas damper units, each equipped with a gas reservoir. This additional capacity makes it possible to increase the volume of available gas while retaining a compact damper body.
Assisted braking is provided by four ventilated discs (Ø 380 mm) and six-piston brake calipers. The 21’’ diameter light-alloy wheels have original styling. They are fitted with Michelin tyres, with a design which matches that of the wheel.
Equipment
On board this ultra high-tech open-air vehicle, natural leather and aluminium feature strongly. Two people can sit in the one-piece, cast light-alloy seats, which have leather upholstery. Each occupant is secured by a safety belt, a true four-point harness connected to four small inertia reels.
The fascia panel features two central rev counters, the left-hand one for the front engine and the right-hand one for the rear engine.
At the top of the central console there is a vertical touch screen. Occupants can navigate between the different pages by means of bookmarks. The main page, displayed by default, is dedicated to driving and contains the speedometer (supplied by the GPS*), the odometer, the current destination, the compass and the inclinometer display (pitch and roll). A page dedicated to the input of "way points" on the GPS also contains the cartography. Another page allows images from the onboard camera to be displayed simultaneously with information from the inclinometers to facilitate difficult manœuvres. One page is devoted to the selection of on-board music in the form of digital files (MP3 type). Lastly, there is a page dedicated to engine operation (coolant, oil temperature, etc). Malfunction alerts are displayed as a priority on the screen.
Because the Hoggar is designed as an open-air vehicle, the driver’s position is largely open and does not have a roof. The "doors" are in fact two small panels, forming part of the front wings, beneath which the ground can easily be seen. These panels open in the gull-wing style.
Diode technology is widely used for all of the vehicle’s signalling lights. For the direction indicator function, the front headlamps incorporate three orange-tinted plexiglass bars, cut like crystal, behind which are located LEDs.
The dipped beam and main beam functions have LEDs that illuminate according to lock, pitch and roll angles.
The cut "crystal" side lights are slightly blue-tinted.
(*) Global Positionning System While the rear-view mirrors are traditional, a front camera facilitates the choice of turning circle, for example to avoid a small obstacle. Proximity detectors complete the driver comfort functions.
Text and photos courtesy of Automobiles PEUGEOT
