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Peugeot’s Rifter 4x4 Concept Was Meant to Be the Answer to Off-Road Adventure

In an effort to keep up with growing trends in the mobile home and adventurer lifestyles, Peugeot took a swing with their very own adventure vehicle, the Rifter 4x4 Concept.
Peugeot Rifter 4x4 Concept 31 photos
Photo: Peugeot
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A few years back, at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, Peugeot unveiled a concept known as the Rifter 4x4, a vehicle meant to be this automaker’s answer to the growing trend of vehicles aimed at offering the freedom to explore above and beyond the confines of city limits.

For this vehicle Peugeot didn’t work alone. The help and expertise of a long-time partner Dangel, was also called upon. Not very many people have heard of Dangel, so a small intro is in order. This 4x4-focused company out of France has been fidgeting with cars and suspension kits since before the 1980s. However, it was only in 1980 that the brand was born. Through the years this company has offered its expertise to automakers the likes of Citroën, Opel, Fiat, and you guessed it, Peugeot.

The Rifter isn’t the first vehicle to ever come out of a Peugeot and Dangel collaboration, but it is one of the machines that seems to standout on its own. It might just be the design and color scheme, but then again, versatility also seems to play a key role in its capabilities.

Peugeot Rifter 4x4 Concept
Photo: Peugeot
Just to kick things off, the integrated transmission on the Rifter is developed by Dangel and offers three driving modes to choose from. The first is classic 2WD, to be used in daily driving. The second mode is that of 4WD, where the transmission handles any loss of traction by transferring power to the rear wheels, and finally, lock mode; locks the rear axle and designed for “extreme” off-roading.

Equipped with a BlueHDI 130 engine and six-speed manual gearbox, this little powerhouse squeezes out 300 Nm (221.2 lb-ft) of torque. All that’s completed with a set of A/T, BF Goodrich tires for helping cling to surfaces, and an 80-mm lift (3.14-in) to help raise ground clearance.

The exterior of the Rifter has also seen extensive tampering. One obvious feature are the anodized Yellow Satin bits featured at the front under the fog lights, along the side skirts, and at the back. The Dangel emblem features the same yellow color tone. Even the black 16-inch diamond cut Onyx wheels have a tad of the yellow.

Peugeot Rifter 4x4 Concept
Photo: Peugeot
The exterior is also equipped with an Overland tent developed by expert rooftop tent maker Autohome. It’s easiest to say that this team has been specializing in rooftop tents since 1958. Today, automakers like Land Rover, MINI, and Peugeot all work with Autohome on one level or another. In front of the tent is a 1.35-meter (4.43-foot) curved LED bank with 100 LEDs, setup on two rows, and a total power output of 300-watts.

This tent has been specifically designed for the Rifter Concept and ease of use is one of the main focuses of this feature. All that needs to be done to get a night’s rest is unfold the tent from its housing and fasten the sliding ladder. The mattress holds the to the same color scheme as the rest of the vehicle and is easily folded along with the tent when not in use.

Inside the Rifter, the dashboard features an “uncluttered” design that blends shades of the exterior with grey and “smoked chrome” accents. The black and chrome is then offset with yellow stitching around the shifter and interior of the steering wheel.

Those large inserts around the console and door panels are machined from solid aluminum and used to balance the near all-black dash and doors. The same Yellow Satin stripes and lettering is features on seats with embossed grey mottled fabric and black Alcantara.

Peugeot Rifter 4x4 Concept
Photo: Peugeot
One other feature that could be seen at the Geneva Auto Show was the Peugeot eM02 FS Powertube MTB. As a final addition, completing the nomadic lifestyle by offering extended freedom to places otherwise inaccessible to four-wheel vehicles, Peugeot seemed to have been hitting all the right notes in terms of a vehicle that can take you away for a day or two.

Since then, not much has been heard of the Rifter 4X4 Concept, except that Peugeot produces the Rifter and e-Rifter. Another vehicle that bears a striking resemblance to the 4x4 Concept is the Peugeot Partner, a vehicle that has seen the touch of Dangel as well.

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About the author: Cristian Curmei
Cristian Curmei profile photo

A bit of a nomad at heart (being born in Europe and raised in several places in the USA), Cristian is enamored with travel trailers, campers and bikes. He also tests and writes about urban means of transportation like scooters, mopeds and e-bikes (when he's not busy hosting our video stories and guides).
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