Matthias Hossann, Peugeot\u2019s head of design, explained in Auto&Design no. 278: \u201cWe built this concept car around the Hypersquare steering wheel, with the future of small cars in mind.\u201d Upon seeing it in the flesh on a day in Milan, the aim is more than achieved: beneath an extremely compact and futuristic shell, capable of evoking the 205 without any nostalgia, lies an interior that appears to be a direct consequence of the black \u2018panel\u2019 in front of the driver.<\/p>\n
The distinctive shape, of course, catches the eye and offers immediate functional benefits (\u201cmore compact in height, it improves visibility and simplifies adjustment\u201d). But above all, the absence of mechanical linkages to the wheels results in much smaller steering angles (a maximum of 170 degrees compared to the traditional three turns or so), ensuring that the hands are always in the ideal position. And this is where the innovative design concept comes to the fore: as the fingers move much less, four rings can be incorporated at the corners of the \u2018rectangle\u2019, along which multiple physical buttons can be placed, finally within fingertip reach.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
![\"Peugeot](\"https:\/\/autodesignmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/2026071503_PeugeotPolygonHypersquare.jpg\")
<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>From this design concept, steeped in prototypical 1980s influences, comes a dashboard entirely devoid of buttons, whilst the very idea of a centre console is transformed into a pure horizontal form, upon which a storage compartment\u2014both functional and stylised\u2014is built. Only a metal partition remains to suggest the tunnel between the seats. The ergonomics are thus completely reimagined.<\/p>\n
As if that were not enough, the central screen vanishes in favour of a huge head-up display projected onto the windscreen in front of the driver, which also incorporates the instrument cluster (in line with an increasingly widespread trend) and offers an unexpected cost saving as it requires no projector. A modern, effective and exceptionally clean design: \u201cWe\u2019re working hard on the in-car experience [\u2026]. We don\u2019t want cold interiors [\u2026], we focus on fabrics and materials that convey warmth and emotion\u201d. The only real limitation: the exclusion of the passenger from any role, which will certainly need to be addressed in future production iterations.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>