A diesel hybrid supercar that wears sustainability like couture—beautifully made, deliberately impermanent, and never meant to drive.
The Peugeot Onyx is a 2012 concept car designed by Gilles Vidal. It uses a 3.7 L V8 diesel hybrid powertrain. Its body combines hand-beaten untreated copper and carbon fiber. Copper panels oxidise from mirror to blue-green. It features a double bubble roof, three-claw taillights, Cd 0.30, recycled interior materials—including felt, compressed newspaper-resin 'wood', blown crystal, and aluminum controls—and a 100 kg carbon fiber chassis in 12 parts.
The Peugeot Onyx is a concept sports car designed by Gilles Vidal and presented at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
It uses a 3.7 L V8 diesel hybrid powertrain. The chassis is a carbon fiber structure weighing 100 kg. Suspension is double wishbone. The flat floor and active rear wing support aerodynamic efficiency. The drag coefficient is 0.30.
What it gets right
The double bubble roof and three-claw taillights resolve Peugeot’s design language at supercar scale. The carbon fiber chassis weight (100 kg) and 12-part construction demonstrate lightweight discipline. The Cd 0.30 confirms aerodynamic priority.
What it does not
It does not prove the viability of diesel hybrid supercars. It does not integrate its eco-materials into structural function—copper panels are cosmetic. It does not claim road legality, production intent, or driver-focused ergonomics.
What it changed
It reframed eco-materials as surface-level spectacle: oxidising copper, newspaper-resin ‘wood’, recycled felt. It did not change powertrain architecture, packaging, or mainstream expectations—but made sustainability visible, not functional.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for designers, material researchers, and automotive historians tracking how brands staged environmental claims in high-performance contexts. It is not for buyers, engineers evaluating hybrid systems, or enthusiasts seeking driving data.
Is it worth your time
Yes—if you care about how sustainability arguments were staged in supercar design in 2012. No—if you seek drivable technology, production intent, or performance validation.
