Buy a van, get the toys. Peugeot’s Rifter concept has extra goodies for off-road adventure.
At some point, selling fries with a hamburger became common sense. When adding a little something extra makes the whole experience better, everyone’s going to catch on.
And it seems the folks at Peugeot had just that in mind with the 4×4 Rifter, an off-road adventure van concept unveiled in advance of this month’s Geneva Auto Show. Not only does the Rifter boast a lifted suspension, an off-road-equipped drivetrain, and tons of cargo space, it also has a rooftop tent and an electric mountain bike mounted on board.
What a cool concept! (With emphasis on “concept.”)
Peugeot Rifter 4×4
The French automaker announced the concept off-roader last month, creating buzz among the overland and van life communities. That’s because, as the forthcoming VW Buzz proved last year, brands sometimes bring these auto fantasies to life.
While Peugeot will release a standard seven-passenger Rifter this year, as yet there’s no official word the 4×4 model will actually come to production. Still, Peugeot did outline some of the vehicle’s specs.
The concept adds 3 inches to the Rifter’s suspension for greater ground clearance. And three drive modes offer off-road capability to tackle most terrain. In addition to standard two-wheel drive, the Rifter concept can run four-wheel drive and even a locked differential in case of serious obstacles.
A 1.5-liter diesel with 221 foot-pounds of torque drives the stout adventure van. Rounding out the vehicle build are fog lights, a 300-watt double-LED roof light strip, and mud-hungry BF Goodrich tires.
Peugeot Rifter 4×4 Rooftop Tent and E-MTB
The real head-turners for outdoor adventurers, though, are the Rifter’s expedition extras. The concept comes equipped with an Autohome Overland rooftop tent. The canvas walls receive a special Rifter color scheme and are waterproof, breathable, and “rot-proof.”
The icing on the cake sits behind the Rifter (at least, temporarily). Secured to the hitch-mounted rack sits Peugeot’s new eM02 FS Powertube mountain bike. The full-suspension electric mountain bike sports an in-frame 500-watt battery capable of 77.5 miles of riding.
It rolls on 27.5+ tires, muscled with a variable, pedal-assist Bosh Performance CX motor. A Shimano XT groupset handles the ride details.
Unlike the 4×4 concept, the eM02 FS (electric Mountain 02 mid-range Full Suspension) bike is in production and launches today. This bike starts at $5,700.
