Peugeot unveils the HX1 concept

People of the Internet, meet the Peugeot HX1 concept, unveiled today ahead of its world premiere at the Frankfurt motor show.

Quite astonishing, no? It's Peugeot's idea of what a future MPV can look like, offering "strong styling" while simultaneously "giving a unique driving sensation". That's right, Peugeot is rescuing the people carrier from the box marked "I don't care about life anymore."

It's low (1.3m), wide (1.9m) and long (4.9m), and while those numbers in obscurity mean nothing, here's perspective: a Lamborghini Aventador is similarly low (1.1m), similarly wide (2m) and similarly long (4.8m).

See more pics of the Peugeot HX1

Those four half-scissor doors open up to reveal a cabin featuring inlaid fibre optics, brushed metal, leather, along with touch-sensitive screens, digital displays, and is said to be "sensory and high-tech". You get two seats up front and two sculpted seats in the back - a rear compartment that features a mini-bar, a coffee machine and specially milled Carrare marble.

And there's more. Two extra seats, moulded into the back of the front seats, can be electrically unfolded and configured into a centre row, based on the same principle as the HR1 concept first seen at Paris. This is very cool indeed.

The HX1 features the hybrid drivetrain, similar to the one in the 3008. Underneath the bonnet is a 2.2-litre diesel four-pot making 204 horsepowers, mated to a six-speed auto ‘box, coupled to a 95bhp electric motor to give a combined bullseye of 299bhp. The batteries can be recharged by plugging the car into a mains, and on these cells alone Pug claims an 18.6 mile range. Combined, you get 88.2mpg and emissions of 83g/km of CO2. So a smidge better than a Polo BlueMotion, then.

Also on the Peugeot stand at Frankfurt is the 508RXH, a 200bhp, four-wheel-drive saloon with the same hybrid setup, using a 2.0-litre diesel coupled to some batteries to produce 200bhp, while returning 67.2mpg and emissions of just 109g/km of CO2. This, along with the 3008 hybrid, will actually go on sale, hitting a Peugeot store near you in spring 2012.

We noted Peugeot's first tentative steps back into the ‘cool' game some time back with the EX1 electric supercar. Are they still heading in the right direction with the HX1? Yes, their concepts are getting a bit samey, but they're still good-looking...