PEUGEOT

Peugeot 20Cup: the curious French model that was highlighted at the Frankfurt Motor Show

Peugeot took one of the most peculiar prototypes in its history to the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show, the 20Cup.

With just three wheels (two on the front axle and a single wheel on the rear axle), this prototype stood out for offering two seats and for not having a windshield, while at the same time previewing the brand's future language.

If we look closely, we realize that its lines served as inspiration for models such as the Peugeot 207, which appeared the following year, or the RCZ, which arrived in 2009. Halfway between a car and a motorcycle, the Peugeot 20Cup was 3.63 meters long, 1.77 meters wide, 1.16 meters high and weighed just 500 kg.

Peugeot never made the weight distribution of this prototype available, but it is easy to see that it was mostly concentrated at the front.

Contributing to this was the engine that powered it, a new 1.6-liter petrol block (developed in collaboration between the BMW group and PSA) that would later be used in the 207, among many other models.

In the 20Cup this engine delivered 170 hp of power and 240 Nm of maximum torque, numbers that allowed this prototype to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in approximately 5 seconds.

These are not “out of this world” numbers, especially if we take into account current parameters, but it is important to remember that these records were amplified by the fact that this Peugeot 20Cup was a true speedster, with the cabin completely at the mercy of the elements, so the experience promised to be intense.

It was never in Peugeot's plans to produce it, but after all these years, that hardly matters. What is certain is that this 20Cup continues to appear on lists of the most unlikely prototypes of this century.

Mundoquatrorodas