Peugeot Boxer 4x4 Concept Promised the Good Van Life, We're Still Waiting for It

One of the concepts revealed is the Boxer 4x4. It promised to be everything you could want from an adventure-worthy vehicle and then some. Based on the Peugeot Boxer L3, this concept was transformed in time for the Paris Recreational Vehicle Show of 2019.

Now, don’t start thinking that Peugeot worked alone on this one, no. To bring about a vehicle worthy of tackling challenging terrains, long-time partner Dangel was called upon. Dangel has been specializing in AWD transmission systems since before the 1980’s. Once people caught on that this team means business, Dangel quickly secured its place in the automotive landscape with partnerships that include Citroën, Opel, and obviously Peugeot.

Since I've touched up on transmissions, for the Boxer, three driving modes are available: 2WD is for daily operations and city routes, 4WD redirects some of the power to the rear wheels in case traction is lost, and finally, you can also lock up the rear axle.

The Boxer 4x4 Concept sourced its power to go beyond paved roads from a BlueHDi 165 engine with a decent torque output of 370 Nm (273 lb-ft). Hooked to a six-speed manual gearbox, it may not be what you need for rock climbing, but it’ll do the trick in extending your horizons.

Speaking of extensions, the ground clearance plays a vital role anytime you want to create a vehicle capable of tackling the wilder sides of life, and Peugeot knew this. The result was an increase of the ground clearance by 30 mm (1.18 in) at the front and 50 mm (1.97 in) at the rear. Equipped with a pair of BF Goodrich all-terrain tires and 16-inch aluminum rims, the Boxer 4x4 looked promising.

As I mentioned earlier, the concept uses a Boxer L3 base which comes in with a length of six meters (19.68 feet) and provides living space suitable for up to three guests. Inside, Peugeot decided to create a van with all the living spaces required for a comfy trip, including a kitchen with dining area, sleeping area or bedroom, bathroom, and driver’s station. Not to mention “plenty” of storage options.

For the interior layout and design, Peugeot called upon the expertise of Bravia Mobil, a company known for specializing in high-end RVs since 2005. With Peugeot’s Colors and Materials teams, the collaboration resulted into an interior that does more than just offer a place to live; for example, the floor is derived from nothing except recycled plastics collected from seashores and other natural environments. That’s around 50 kg (110 lbs) of nothing but eco-friendly goodness, in turn helping eliminate 75 kg (165 lbs) of CO2 in comparison to a standard plastic floor, let alone cleaning shorelines.

The countertops and the table top are composed of aragonite natural mineral from Kerrock, which is meant to offer a white color tone to everything while featuring the hardness of natural stone and look of ceramic. The upholstery and trimmings utilize an Alcantara Greval Grey mesh and mint Boxer and Dangel logos to bring all that material to light.

As for the multimedia equipment, Peugeot called upon Alpine, the company known for shaking the roof and side panels on your car. Here, satellite navigation, regularly used in motorhomes, makes its appearance on a 23-cm (9.05-in) color screen with split display, fully integrated into the dash. Compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and able to connect two phones via Bluetooth, it seemed to be just right for weekend road trips, maybe more if you can stand the company.

To push the boundaries on an already promising vehicle, Peugeot also included two toys to create a few more adventures. The first is a color-matching kayak mounted on the roof rack, while the rear includes a bike rack with the OEM eM02 FS Powertube e-MTB on it. Talk about an enticing design and offer. The bike, too, is color coded to match the vehicle.

Now, the Boxer 4x4 Concept looked to be an amazing vehicle that could offer the entry-level adventurer a decent chance at the lifestyle, but Peugeot hasn’t followed it up with a production model yet. The automaker didn't even release more images revealing the bathroom and other living spaces—even two years later, these photos are all that’s available.

That said, a couple of years ago, the Van Life wasn’t the biggest trend around. Nowadays, it seems everyone just wants to live out of one of these puppies, no matter the make, model, or even year. It may be time for this automotive giant to take a crack at the game for good. After all, Peugeot has the vehicle and the designs. Come on, chop chop.