The Peugeot E-T16 concept has been voted best concept car of the 2026 Paris Motor Show by journalists from the Association of Automotive and Motorcycle Media (AMAM). The 816 hp electric showpiece reworks the rally-winning 205 T16 for a new era, and Peugeot says it previews its next generation of electric cars, including the future E-208.
Journalists from the Association of Automotive and Motorcycle Media (AMAM) have chosen the Peugeot E-T16 concept as the best concept car of the 2026 Paris Motor Show. According to the brand, the jury rewarded the way the car takes one of Peugeot’s best-known models and reworks it with an electric, technology-led approach.
The award matters more to Peugeot than a typical show prize. The E-T16 is not only a heritage exercise. The company also presents it as a preview of where its electric line-up is heading.
A modern take on a rally icon
The concept marks 40 years since the Peugeot 205 T16 won back-to-back World Rally Championship titles. The mid-engined, four-wheel-drive Group B car won those championships in 1985 and 1986, and it remains one of the defining rally cars of that period.
Peugeot says the E-T16 updates the original’s most recognisable design cues. The manufacturer points to athletic proportions, a dramatic overall architecture, distinctive lighting signatures and assertive styling as its nods to the 205 T16.
816 hp and a preview of the next E-208
The concept uses an all-electric drivetrain rated at 816 hp. Peugeot has not yet released further technical data, such as battery capacity, range or performance figures.
The brand describes the E-T16 as a technology showcase for high-performance electric driving. It says the car’s innovations hint at the next generation of Peugeot EVs and offer the “ultimate vision” of the future Peugeot E-208. That link gives the concept a practical edge, because the 208 is one of the brand’s highest-volume models in Europe.
Steer-by-wire and the Hypersquare
The E-T16 was developed with Peugeot Sport and focuses on the driver. Its cockpit pairs Peugeot’s Hypersquare control with steer-by-wire technology, which replaces the mechanical link between the steering control and the wheels with an electronic one. Peugeot first showed the Hypersquare on its Inception concept in 2023, and the E-T16 continues that line of development.
The company says the combination creates a new kind of interaction between driver and car. It also refers to “next-generation immersive technologies” on board, though it has not described them in detail. Peugeot presents the project as an expression of its brand promise of taking driving pleasure seriously.
What it means
Rival brands are also using retro-themed concepts to build interest in their EVs. A media award gives Peugeot’s design and technology direction some outside endorsement ahead of the next E-208. How much of the E-T16’s styling, power and steering technology reaches production remains to be seen.
Facts: Peugeot E-T16 concept
- Type: Electric concept car
- Power: 816 hp
- Steering: Hypersquare with steer-by-wire
- Developed with: Peugeot Sport
- Inspiration: Peugeot 205 T16, back-to-back WRC title winner
- Award: Best concept car of the 2026 Paris Motor Show (AMAM)
The E-T16 is a concept, and Peugeot has not announced production plans or a launch date for the future E-208.
Source: www.media.stellantis.com