Paris Preshow: Peugeot HR1 Small Crossover Concept

Peugeot has lifted the covers off a second concept model on the eve of the 2010 Paris Motor Show. Billed as an urban crossover, the HR1 study is said to blend together a number of elements from various categories including city cars, coupes and SUVs, and is designed to appeal to young people with active lifestyles.

The HR1 is particularly compact in dimensions measuring just 3,670 mm in length, or close to 300 mm shorter than the Ford Fiesta hatch. The exterior design incorporates all the genes of Peugeot's new styling language including the "floating" front grille and "chiseled" headlamps which were first seen on the SR1 Concept car.

It also gets raised sections above the rear windscreen, reminiscent of the "double bubble" roof design of the RCZ Coupé and a pair of electric "scissor" doors.

The HR1's interior features a far more futuristic design with the driver and passenger compartments separated by an elevated centre console.

There are also two individual seats at the back that can be folded down flat and stowed behind the front seats to create a flat floor area with a total load space of 734 liters. When both rear seats are raised, the boot capacity is reduced to 180 litres.

Peugeot has developed a unique set of controls for the audio, satellite navigation and air conditioning systems, located behind the steering wheel.

For motivation, the HR1 incorporates Peugeot's HYbrid4 technology, combining a new 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine with 110-bhp at the front and a 37-bhp electric motor at the rear. The internal combustion engine is hooked up to an electronically-controlled 6-speed manual gearbox with control paddles on the steering wheel and a centrally mounted gear lever.

As with the production 3008 Hybrid4 that will also debut in Paris, the HR1 can be driven by the electric motor alone at low speed, or with both engines together, providing four-wheel drive capability.

According to the French automaker, the HR1 returns a combined fuel consumption of 3.5 lt per 100km (equal to 81 mpg UK and 67.2 mpg US) and CO2 emissions of 80 g/km.

Stay tuned on Carscoop for live photos of the HR1 from the Paris Motor Show floor.