Twenty Years Ago, Peugeot Dared the 907!

In 2004, Peugeot unveiled the 907, a concept car we dreamed of seeing on the road… in vain.

In 2004, Peugeot made a strong impression at the Geneva Motor Show with a concept car that was anything but subtle—the 907. Designed by the brilliant Gérard Welter, then the brand’s chief of design, this large GT offered a glimpse of a Peugeot vastly different from the conservative sedans and city cars we knew.

Beneath its long black body made entirely of carbon fiber, the 907 housed a 500-horsepower V12 engine. Yes, you read that correctly—a V12, assembled by merging two V6 blocks. It was theoretically comparable to Ferrari or Aston Martin models of the time. With a rear-wheel-drive architecture and a six-speed manual transmission, this beast promised equally thrilling performance on the track and on winding roads.

In terms of design, Gérard Welter unleashed his imagination. The 907 combined an endless hood with an extremely recessed cockpit, accented by modern touches such as tapered headlights and side air vents reminiscent of science fiction films. Inside, it was a feast of leather and fine wood, with hints of carbon fiber to remind us that we were in a high-performance sports car.

And what if Peugeot had dared to produce this masterpiece? Imagine the lion brand disrupting conventions and transforming into a luxury car manufacturer. Perhaps the 907 would have forever redefined Peugeot’s image, much like a Bugatti Veyron did for Volkswagen. But alas, the 907 remained a frozen dream, a styling exercise designed to wow audiences.

Today, this concept is proudly displayed at the Peugeot Adventure Museum, reminding us that the lion brand, driven by geniuses like Gérard Welter, once flirted with the idea of becoming much more than just a mainstream manufacturer. A beautiful “what if” in automotive history.

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