It wouldn't be a Paris Motor Show without a concept car or two from the French manufacturers. Peugeot has already released details of its offering, the outrageous 908 RC limousine pictured here.

Though the show car takes the appearance of a stylishly extravagant four-door saloon, underneath lies a very serious set of mechanicals that will see action in the 2007 Le Mans race in a racer itself to be called the Peugeot 908. Power comes from a 5.5-litre V12 with 700bhp and a massive 885lb.ft of torque. The latter figure should give you further clues about this engine; it's a twin-turbocharged diesel (or HDi according to Peugeot's dictionary). This is the engine that Peugeot will use to take on the mighty Audi Sport team R10 TDIs at next year's race.

Powertrain aside, we don't expect to ever see a production version of the 908 RC concept car. Its unusual proportions hide a rear central transverse position for the engine, with the six-speed sequential gearbox mounted underneath. This layout means that the long bonnet should house plenty of luggage.

Despite the 908's 5.1m length, it houses just four occupants, though they travel in opulence with the cabin decorated in dark oak, amethyst-grey leather trim, polished aluminium inserts, touches of chrome, and a Bell & Ross clock. Adding to the sense of occasion is the dramatic windscreen, which flows unimpeded all the way back to the rear passengers' heads, ensuring an uninterrupted view out and an airy feel in the car.

The 908's exterior style is suitably ornate, with a prominent Peugeot 'lion' nose flanked by lashings of chrome and a functional splitter. The massive headlights, now a Peugeot design hallmark, are shaped internally, somewhat eerily, to imitate the pupil of a big cat's eye. Below the lights and ahead of the 20-inch front wheels is a large vent for the hot air exiting the car's front-mounted radiators. This design feature is reproduced behind the rear wheels (21-inch in diameter), where hot air exits from the intercoolers. Above that, the exaggerated haunches conceal the bulk of the engine, while the curving rear lights and bootlid neatly link the concept to the current Peugeot 407 Coupe.

Shane O' Donoghue - 12 Aug 2006