Peugeot EXALT Concept – “Bare metal and Shark Skin”

The Peugeot EXALT concept is the latest innovative concept car from the French manufacturer. Following on from the Peugeot Onyx concept car from 2012, the EXALT uses a range of unusual materials and textures, with the end result being something both unusual and desirable.

The Peugeot EXALT is a saloon car with a very distinct two-part body. The front three-quarters of the car are finished in bare stainless steel, while the final section is coated in a man-made textile dubbed “Shark Skin”. Colored red, this material gives the rear of the EXALT a striking appearance, however it also improves the aerodynamics of the car slightly.

On the inside, Peugeot’s material choices have resulted in an interior which has a distinctly upmarket feel. The center console and door trims have been carved out of giant pieces of ebony wood. I don’t know what sort of weight penalty that would incur. But it looks good. Perhaps to offset some of the weight, other interior elements are formed from basalt fibre, a lightweight natural composite produced by smelting basalt stone.

There are a number of gadgets on board the Peugeot EXALT concept, including a digital instrument panel, two fold-away touch screens, a unique black light system designed to help pick out road markings and signs during dawn and dusk, an air filtering system called Pure Blue which filters the incoming air and – when the car is stationary and unoccupied – spreads bactericides and fungicides throughout the cabin.

Powering the Peugeot EXALT concept is a hybrid drivetrain which consists of a 1.6 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 270 horsepower backed up by a 70 horsepower electric motor. The transmission is a six-speed automatic unit. The driver can choose between all-electric, all IC (Internal Combustion), or a combination of both power units.