Before getting too excited about the Peugeot Fractal, it's worth remembering there are two types of concept cars: those the carmakers try to persuade us will have some remote influence on future models, and those that really matter.
Hopefully, the aptly-named Peugeot Fractal will fall into the latter category. With just three video teasers released so far adding up to about 10 seconds of actual footage, it's hard to get a clear idea.
Of the three clips, one is a little more revealing showing us an incomplete outline of the car. After the Exalt sedan/coupe and the Quartz crossover, we would have guessed a full-blooded coupe or a sports car of some sort was next.
By the looks of it, it's not the case for the Fractal. The outline suggests it will be a hatchback or crossover of some sorts, but it's hard to see where it would fit since Peugeot already have the 308 compact hatchback and the 2008 small crossover.
The only possible slot we can see is right above the 2008, a sort of taller, more adventurist 308 with a futuristic twist. Then again, it might just prove to be one of those concepts that don't preview a series model per se, but show us instead how well Peugeot's designers can draw in their spare time.
Or it could be that...
There's also another possibility, but this is only a speculation and should be taken as such. Seeing how sister-brand Citroen is having some success with its posher brand DS, Peugeot could be copying the recipe and preparing a more upscale range of their own. If that were the case, the Fractal could very well be the first such model.
The Fractal's front light signature is so radical, it would instantly become associated with Peugeot. No one would ever mistake for another brand, with those long LED strips that reach deep down along what we assume is the radiator grille. At the rear, there's a wider strip of LEDs that spans the whole width of the car, reminiscent of some older Japanese and US designs. Not something you would expect on a modern car, but Peugeot seem to have nailed it just fine.
The videos also give some clues on other parts of the car like its wheels, the radiator grille and the steering wheel - all computer generated, of course. We're just gonna have to wait until 15 September when Peugeot will be unveiling the Fractal at Frankfurt, but from what we've seen and Peugeot's latest concepts, we're willing to bet it's going to be a success.
"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie) Full profile
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