{"id":47141,"date":"2026-10-20T07:40:42","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T05:40:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/?p=47141"},"modified":"2026-10-20T07:40:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T05:40:43","slug":"jerome-gallix-the-man-behind-the-first-peugeot-rcz-talks-about-the-2026-rcz-vision-concept","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/?p=47141","title":{"rendered":"J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gallix, the man behind the first Peugeot RCZ, talks about the 2026 RCZ Vision concept"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The French concept cars unveiled at the Paris Motor Show all drew inspiration from the history of their respective manufacturers: the Citro\u00ebn 2CV saloon and van, the Renault Espace, the Alpine A310, the DS3, the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, the Renault 8 Gordini and the Peugeot RCZ. Today, we\u2019re taking a look back at Peugeot\u2019s latest concept, the RCZ Vision, to explore its links with the brand\u2019s iconic coup\u00e9, launched in 2009. And we\u2019re not just talking to anyone \u2013 we met its designer, who was Peugeot\u2019s head of design at the time. Over to J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gallix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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J\u00e9r\u00f4me is fortunate enough to be in fairly good form\u2026 By that we simply mean that he is undoubtedly one of the few designers to witness, in his own lifetime, a revival based on one of his own designs! And he tells us straight away, \u201cI may be showing a little too much pride, but I feel terribly flattered that Peugeot has chosen the RCZ for a revival.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gallix, photographed in 2009 with his baby\u2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

However, J\u00e9r\u00f4me does not merely mention the name, or even the design, of this concept. He adds, \u201cWhat\u2019s more, I\u2019m delighted that the RCZ Vision concept features the new generation of the i-Cockpit. My teams and I were behind this concept, which first appeared on the first-generation 208 in 2012 (<\/em>one of the concept cars shown below). It\u2019s one of the few projects I had time to bring to fruition at Peugeot before I left in 2009.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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He concludes by saying that \u201cthis concept, without really seeming to, is rather a distillation of what I was able to achieve with the teams in the second half of the 2000s*. And so many years on, to see that all that work is still very much alive in the minds of the brand\u2019s creative team today \u2013 I find that very flattering.<\/em>\u201d
*We might add the first generation of the Peugeot 3008, which was ahead of its time\u2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The new layout of the RCZ Vision\u2019s i-Cockpit reveals the Hypersquare steering module from the upcoming 208.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

That famous i-Cockpit \u2013 which is sometimes criticised \u2013 was actually developed in collaboration with Peugeot\u2019s design team when J\u00e9r\u00f4me was in charge. \u201cYes, and at the time there was a lot of scepticism about the concept, because it really did turn everything on its head! When I left, the decision on whether to put it into production hadn\u2019t quite been finalised. Pierre R\u00e9mond was in charge of that, and he and his team produced quite a few prototypes, which eventually led to the first generation of the i-Cockpit in the first 208, after I\u2019d left.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Part of the design team led by Matthias Hossann and the RCZ Vision concept<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Peugeot and J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gallix share a long history, which unfolded in two stages: first, to introduce digital technology into the design department during G\u00e9rard Welter\u2019s tenure; then, during his second spell at Peugeot Design, to take over from G\u00e9rard. \u201cPersonally, the Lion has been close to my heart ever since I was born. So I\u2019m very grateful to the brand for giving me the opportunity to be its head of design and for having been able to design a car<\/em> \u2013 the 2009 RCZ coup\u00e9 pictured below \u2013 which has clearly now become one of Peugeot\u2019s legends. On my deathbed, I\u2019ll still remember it<\/em>,\u201d he says with a broad smile!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And what does he really think of the RCZ Vision concept? \u201cI don\u2019t really like talking about style\u2026 I\u2019m not a designer, so I don\u2019t want to talk about its style as such. What matters most to me is that the first thing the car must do to be a worthy successor to the RCZ is to go into production exactly as it was unveiled at the motor show.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Will Peugeot make the leap to series production with its vision for the new RCZ coup\u00e9?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As far as J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gallix is concerned, there are only two possibilities: \u201cEither they produce it exactly as it is today, in which case I take my hat off to them. Or it\u2019s yet another broken promise, which would actually be the very opposite of the RCZ spirit!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In 2009, J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gallix\u2019s team and designer Boris Reinmoller set about designing the RCZ with a view to potential production right from the start.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What exactly does he mean by that? \u201cWhen we built the RCZ prototype in 2009, we held back from designing something far more spectacular, precisely because we wanted to ensure that all the arguments against mass production could be swept aside. With Jean-Christophe Bolle-Reddat in the concept car team, we still racked our brains quite a bit to stay within the very narrow confines of \u2018still possible!\u2019 And that, in turn, made the task even more difficult. We didn\u2019t want to create a designer\u2019s showpiece!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The RCZ Vision coup\u00e9: so you don\u2019t get lost in the crowd\u2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

So, should the RCZ Vision be produced? But will the coup\u00e9 market be thriving in 2026? \u201cI find it hard to answer that question. I think European carmakers have a duty to come up with something new and powerful if they don\u2019t want to disappear. And even if there\u2019s no market for it, if you want to survive, you need a fresh, original message that hasn\u2019t been heard before; otherwise, you\u2019ll just get lost in the crowd.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Is the RCZ Vision coup\u00e9 more like the 406 coup\u00e9 (shown here in a sketch by Pininfarina) or the 407 coup\u00e9?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

J\u00e9r\u00f4me makes an unexpected comment about the RCZ concept car from the Paris Motor Show. \u201cIn my view, this Peugeot concept strays a bit from the spirit of the RCZ, because it\u2019s too big and doesn\u2019t stick to the two-seater layout with two additional emergency seats. It seems more in the vein of a 406 coup\u00e9, or even a 407. And so, for me, it\u2019s no longer the same car.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What is the connection between the 2009 RCZ coup\u00e9 and the Peugeot 104 coup\u00e9, pictured here on the terrace of Peugeot\u2019s design centre in La Garenne-Colombes? The \u2018Z\u2019, of course \u2013 as in the 104 Z and the RC\u2026Z!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To expand on his argument, J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gallix adds that \u201cwhat also bothered me was perhaps the fact that it was called the RCZ Vision. It should have been called the RC Vision. The letter \u2018Z\u2019 in the original RCZ also referred to the Peugeot 104 Z, a car that was a 2+2, not a four-seater. I\u2019d mentioned this at the time to the Peugeot Product teams, and the \u2018Z\u2019 really embodied that spirit of a small car. That is no longer the case with the Paris Motor Show concept.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In terms of rear passenger space, the two RCZ models serve different purposes.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The French designer acknowledges, however, \u201cthat this is a nitpicking reaction and that there are probably only ten people on the planet who think the same way as I do. But letters have meaning, just like words\u2026 In 2008, we unveiled a four-door, mid-engined coup\u00e9 concept car \u2013 shown below \u2013 which we called the RC Hybride-4, not the RCZ Hybride-4\u2026<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The 2008 RC Hybride-4 concept car continues Peugeot\u2019s series of mid-engined RC models, following the RC Pique and Carreau (a sports saloon) and the large 908 RC.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

More generally, what does he think of this World Motor Show, where ALL the French manufacturers are drawing on icons from the past to develop their concept cars? \u201cI think it\u2019s good because I like the revival trend. But back then, I was very much on my own against everyone else at Peugeot, and that was as early as 2007. I launched the 204 revival project with a convertible<\/em> (below) and an estate car.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Long before it became a widespread trend, J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gallix wanted to draw inspiration from a legendary Peugeot model for a revival, such as this proposed 204 convertible from 2007.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe problem today isn\u2019t the idea of a revival; it\u2019s that what we witnessed at the Paris Motor Show was a veritable barrage of them. There aren\u2019t many iconic French cars left that could be the subject of a meaningful revival. Perhaps the Matra Simca Rancho<\/em>?\u201d Rancho \u2013 what a strange idea! \u201cIt\u2019s a vehicle that would make a lot of sense in the current climate. A \u2018green\u2019 vehicle, with space for living and leisure\u2026 This vehicle isn\u2019t understood at Stellantis, and yet it has enormous potential. As for the rest of the possible French revivals, the well is starting to run dry.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Half past, half future: this revival of the Matra Rancho is an illustration created by AI<\/strong>. Just to accompany J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gallix\u2019s talk. The next French revival? Over to you, designers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

And this line of thought brings him back to the RCZ Vision concept car from the Paris Motor Show. \u201cIf Peugeot brought back the RCZ without actually bringing it to market, it would be all the more regrettable as they would have wasted a chance for nothing. Opportunities like this don\u2019t come along 40 times!<\/em>\u201d And what revival would tempt him? \u201cWell, it\u2019s too late for the 204! I don\u2019t think there are any other possibilities at Peugeot.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Was the revival of the 204 proposed by J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gallix whilst he was head of design at Peugeot the French manufacturer\u2019s last chance for a car of this kind?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had this discussion with Xavier Peugeot back then.<\/em> In my view, a revival only makes sense when the original vehicle is, admittedly, iconic, but hampered by technical solutions that are now outdated. For example, reviving the 205 wouldn\u2019t be a good idea, because the original car was very modern in its design in terms of bodywork technology. And it\u2019s still very much up to date. It would therefore be nothing more than a stylistic exercise, and that\u2019s far less interesting. Reviving the 205 would be like redesigning a Golf: what would you actually be doing that\u2019s new? Nothing\u2026<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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With all due respect to the Peugeot RCZ Vision coup\u00e9, the Citro\u00ebn 2CV stole the show at the 2026 Paris Motor Show. What does Peugeot\u2019s former head of design think? \u201cI quite like it. That said, I\u2019ve never liked the original 2CV, so I have absolutely no sentimental attachment to the original model; I judge it solely on the basis of what it inspires in me, and I find it rather fun, fresh, uncomplicated and unpretentious.<\/em>\u201d And at the other end of the spectrum, the Renault E-Space concept shown below also went down a treat with visitors to the Paris Motor Show. So much so that J\u00e9r\u00f4me Gallix told me quite clearly, \u201cI love it! And as far as I\u2019m concerned, it was the star of the show!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The women and men behind the 2026 Peugeot RCZ Vision concept car<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pictured here are the teams behind the E-T16 and RCZ concept cars, gathered around Matthias Hossann. Photo: Insta.Matthias Hossann.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The names of a design director\u2019s \u201cteam members\u201d are rarely mentioned, yet he alone could not see a project as colossal as a concept car through to completion. Peugeot Design and its communications department are keen to showcase the team. The lead designer is, of course, Matthias Hossann<\/strong>. He is assisted on the RCZ Vision concept car by Stefano BOLIS<\/strong>, design manager. Next on the list is S\u00e9bastien CRIQUET<\/strong>, head of exterior design for Concepts & Early-Stage Development. Guillaume LEMAITRE<\/strong>, head of interior design for Concepts & Early-Stage Development. Max ZIEGLER<\/strong>, exterior designer. William DUFOUR<\/strong>, interior designer. Lo\u00efc MULLER,<\/strong> interior designer. Paul GAWSEWITCH<\/strong>, interior designer. Mile LOTH<\/strong>, designer (wheel rims). L\u00e9a COCHET<\/strong>, Colour, Materials and Finishes designer. Images & videos: Peugeot Design Imaging Lab team, S\u00e9bastien FLOUTIER<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The French concept cars unveiled at the Paris Motor Show all drew inspiration from the history of their respective manufacturers: the Citro\u00ebn 2CV saloon and van, the Renault Espace, the Alpine A310, the DS3, the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, the Renault 8 Gordini and the Peugeot RCZ. Today, we\u2019re taking […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":47175,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47141"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=47141"}],"version-history":[{"count":39,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47141\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":47189,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47141\/revisions\/47189"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/47175"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=47141"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=47141"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lignesauto.fr\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=47141"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}