Much Better Prepared for a Different Kind of City Car — Peugeot Kart Up

Playful Defiance - Cities have always inspired carmakers to experiment, not just with efficiency but with emotion. Around the turn of the millennium, when urban mobility was being reimagined as something lighter, more expressive, and less serious, concept cars became a playground for bold ideas. It was in this creative atmosphere that the Peugeot Kart Up Concept emerged, offering a refreshing take on what a city-focused roadster could look and feel like without losing its sense of fun. 

The Peugeot Kart Up emerged, offering a refreshing take on what a city-focused roadster could look and feel like without losing its sense of fun. (Picture from: Wikimedia)

Unveiled at the 2000 Paris Motor Show, the Kart Up was part of Peugeot’s imaginative City Toyz series, a collection that also included eccentric concepts like the Vroomster, Bobslid, and e-Doll. Rather than chasing conventional elegance, the Kart Up embraced a playful identity. It was a compact two-seat roadster measuring just 3.28 meters in length, designed to feel agile and approachable, yet visually striking enough to stand out in a crowded auto show hall. 

The Peugeot Kart Up's lightweight carbon-fiber body hinted at performance, while the bubble-like glass roof added a whimsical, almost toy-like character. (Picture from: Story-Cars)

The exterior design leaned heavily into nostalgia while still feeling forward-looking. Styled with clear inspiration from Pininfarina’s classic design language, the Kart Up combined soft curves with bold proportions. Its lightweight carbon-fiber body hinted at performance, while the bubble-like glass roof added a whimsical, almost toy-like character. Innovative headlights and the open, convertible layout reinforced the idea that this was not a typical city car, but a joyful reinterpretation of one. 

The Peugeot Kart Up concealed serious engineering beneath its playful skin, powered by a 2.9-liter, 24-valve V6 delivering an impressive 210 horsepower. (Picture from: Story-Cars)

Beneath its playful skin, the Kart Up hid serious engineering. Power came from a 2.9-liter V6 engine equipped with 24 valves, producing an impressive 210 horsepower—an unexpected figure for such a small urban concept. The use of carbon fiber wasn’t just aesthetic; it enhanced agility and performance, reinforcing Peugeot’s intent to blend driving excitement with compact dimensions. This contrast between lighthearted design and robust mechanics became one of the concept’s most intriguing traits. 

The Peugeot Kart Up was a compact two-seat roadster measuring just 3.28 meters in length, designed to feel agile and approachable. (Picture from: Story-Cars)

The Kart Up also carried cultural resonance at the time. Its humorous and unconventional presence echoed the lighthearted spirit of the City Toyz lineup, evoking memories of cinematic comedy and playful automotive scenes. Visitors to the Paris Motor Show, including figures like French actor Pierre Richard, could easily associate the concept with past eras where cars were allowed to be amusing rather than purely practical. In that sense, the Kart Up felt like a bridge between automotive nostalgia and modern experimentation. | fy8ZZr2nEz8 | o6bd5VXGRE0 |

Although it never entered mass production, the Peugeot Kart Up Concept remains relevant today as a reminder of what concept cars are meant to do: provoke imagination. It demonstrated Peugeot’s willingness to challenge norms, blending performance, design, and humor into a single statement. In an era increasingly defined by uniform solutions, the Kart Up still stands as a small but memorable symbol of creative freedom in automotive design. *** [EKA [02102011] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | STORY-CARS | CARSTYLING.RU ]

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