In 1997, Peugeot also presented two amazing cars for study – both with a marine character. One got its name from Nautilus, Captain Nemo’s submarine, and the other was called Runabout, which is the common name for light steamboat in Anglo-Saxon terms. Those looking for the legacy of Gyula Verne in a luxury limousine designed by Pininfarina, were disappointed – we don’t remember it very much today, as the Peugeot 607, introduced two years later, took an entirely different form.
A Peugeot Nautilus study from 1997
Most memorable is the 806 Runabout, which, with its own ambiance, more than two decades later, still excites lovers of driving (and boating).
But let’s start from the beginning. In 1994, Peugeot introduced its unprecedented bus limousine, the 806. The SUV was made from an easy-to-use, practical and spacious car with wide sliding doors, a shift lever mounted on the dashboard, a handbrake moved to the door, and removable swivel seats. And rearranging. Buyers loved this car, but Peugeot felt that something else was missing in the arguments system: the 806 is versatile, roomy and comfortable, but where’s the French liberation The joy of living (Joy of life) sunlight floods through huge windows and large seats.
And if we are talking about lifestyle, then let it be as fun and French as possible. From here, the Riviera was just an intellectual leap, and there was no need to hop onto the yachts that represent the pinnacle of luxury, comfort and prosperity. The mandatory design elements were not difficult to sort out: teak hoods, stainless-steel fittings, snow-white surfaces, and navy blue upholstery are not yachts. Among these, he climbed abundantly aboard the 806 Runabout.
The proportions of the original three-row chassis made it easy to design a forward steering position. The windshield, lacking a windshield without the classic roof poles, protects passengers from wind and rain just as much as it allows humans and nature to get close to each other – after all, without the splash of water hitting our faces, the sterile fun is just fun. A sailing experience.
Hidden under a noble wooden deck at the height of the belt line was a large box that could be accessed and filled through a tailgate that could open as a double-sided door or from the direction of the front seats, also with a double door – a sliding door. It can contain snorkel gear, picnic basket, rigging, and other accessories for a beach vacation.
Once the packages are unloaded, the next trick might come from Runabout: Sink the deck to ground level with the touch of a button. In this case, the two emergency seats can be folded behind the front seats. Decking provides space for sun beds, or they can store a mini-sleigh designed for the car here. is it raining? No problem, the canvas ceiling can be pulled out from the inside. The dashboard also evoked the ship world, from the fitted steering wheel to the automatic transmission pre-selector lever, imagined as a long chrome-plated kit reminiscent of a yacht’s throttle lever. Under it was a crane that could be used to pull the waterslide on board.
Peugeot 806 Runabout was also walkable; At least in the contemporary demo film of the study car he drove alone. Instead of the fuel-efficient diesel engine in the bus limousine, a Peugeot three-liter V6 petrol engine was installed in the private car, but due to the increased weight and the inevitably changing structural strength as a result of the conversions, they were unable to take advantage of a large petrol engine. In fact, it didn’t matter either, as Peugeot had no brains to put the car into production, as one copy of it is in the brand’s museum in France.
The 806 Runabout is a worthy successor to Peugeot’s first test car, introduced in 1925. The vehicle that promotes the company’s shipping division, the Peugeot Nautica, designed a ship in the same way as the model seven decades later, and likewise, it was unable to sail as a ship.
But that wasn’t the only specialty built from the 806. In 1995, the Peugeot 806 cut his minibus for a 24-hour race at the spa. The car did not reach the finish line, but it was without a doubt the most memorable tourist car ever.
Among the mid-range sedans and compact cars, the Peugeot 806 Procare, built using pre-existing components, has emerged out of the field. Parts came from 306 Maxi race cars and 406 supercars. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine came from the A306 Rallye Group and had around 280 horsepower.
The minibus with tubes on the network, which finished 12th in the qualifiers, was very interesting – it was the third best time in her group. However, the 806 race did not go well. First, they were forced to stop due to brake problems, then a faulty differential made the pilots hard (Eric Bachelart, Philip Frillini, and Pascal Wittmore), and finally, after installing the engine, the block itself gave up, ending the minivan race before ten. ‘Wall Clock.
