Skip advert
Advertisement
Road tests

Peugeot Onyx First Ride

We sample the stunning Peugeot Onyx concept car from the passenger seat as it runs up the hill at Goodwood Festival

Overall Auto Express rating

4.0

How we review cars
Find your next car here
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

Most concept cars never turn a wheel in anger - so to have one that not only runs but also offers the searing performance of a Le Man racer is a real asset to Peugeot. The power of the racing drivetrain is every bit as impressive as the stunning styling so it's just a shame that the Onyx (or something like it) will never see the light of day and for now it remains a glimpse of what the company might do in the future.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Peugeot wanted to use the Goodwood Festival that there is more to their concept cars than just stylish design so the Peugeot Onyx concept that was first seen at the Paris motor show made an appearance in the supercar run up the hill route.

Auto Express was given the exclusive opportunity to take a ride in the first supercar run of the weekend and the Onyx managed to overshadow plenty of exotic supercars from established premium marques.

Underneath the pretty carbon fibre and cooper body the Onyx is essentially a 908 HDi Le Mans car with a full sequential racing gearbox, mid-mounted 3.7-litre V8 diesel engine and racing brakes and dampers.

That means that before we set off oil for the entire system has to be heated to 80 degrees and fed intravenously into the engine like a blood transfusion. The team from Peugeot Sport removed the carbon fibre 20-inch alloy wheels to run the engine as the oil if filtered slowly inside and that gave us a chance to get accustomed with the incredible interior.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

Used - available now

C-Class Coupe

2020 Mercedes

C-Class Coupe

59,542 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L

Cash £16,300
View C-Class Coupe
Golf GTE

2024 Volkswagen

Golf GTE

19,864 milesAutomaticPetrol1.4L

Cash £21,200
View Golf GTE
Ceed

2021 Kia

Ceed

32,063 milesManualPetrol1.0L

Cash £12,000
View Ceed
F-Pace

2025 Jaguar

F-Pace

41,816 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £26,600
View F-Pace

Made from assorted recycled materials including wood made from newspaper pulp and felt the seats are moulded into the floor with in-built six-point racing harnesses which hold you in place extremely well. When the thick doors are closed you feel completely cocooned and with the sun beating down the cabin heats up incredibly quickly.

There is hardly any steering lock so there are a few tricky turns before we line up at the start of the hill climb and our test driver Gregory Guilvert has to be careful to balance the heavy motorsport clutch. The engine is incredibly loud and every single piece of trim inside the plush cabin vibrates heavily every time he drops the clutch.

Once the flag drops and we accelerate rapidly towards the first corner the noise settles down and after a few quick inputs to warm the brakes and the massive tyres the Onyx feels planted and grippy as it winds around the narrow course.

Sadly our run is over all too soon but the Onyx is doing a great job of grabbing Peugeot headlines at a show normally dominated by the likes of Ferrari and Porsche and along with the 208 T16 Pikes Peak car it is one of the star's of this year's Festival of Speed.

Skip advert
Advertisement

More reviews

New & used car deals

Audi A3

Audi A3

RRP £26,295Avg. savings £3,576 off RRP*Used from £11,895
Nissan Qashqai

Nissan Qashqai

RRP £27,415Avg. savings £5,924 off RRP*Used from £12,300
Kia Sportage

Kia Sportage

RRP £28,065Avg. savings £3,152 off RRP*Used from £14,700
Volkswagen Polo

Volkswagen Polo

RRP £14,575Avg. savings £2,614 off RRP*Used from £7,850
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

MG Cyber X will morph into a mini-Mercedes within two years
MG Cyber X design render - front

MG Cyber X will morph into a mini-Mercedes within two years

Boxy small SUV is gearing up for production, and our exclusive images show how the model might look
News
30 Aug 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Ford Puma Gen-E granted ultra-low £132 monthly lease
Ford Puma Gen-E - front action

Car Deal of the Day: Ford Puma Gen-E granted ultra-low £132 monthly lease

The EV grant has made the Ford Puma Gen-E a lot cheaper, and lease customers can cash-in with today’s Deal of the Day
News
29 Aug 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Racy and retro Renault 5 for only £188 a month
Renault 5 - front full width

Car Deal of the Day: Racy and retro Renault 5 for only £188 a month

The Renault 5 is taking the market by storm – and at this price it’s easy to see why. It’s our Deal of the Day for August 30
News
30 Aug 2025