(from Peugeot Press
Release) The 402 Andrea was a design prototype conceived
by the renowned aerodynamic engineer Jean Andreau, commissioned by
Peugeot to apply his theories of aerodynamics to the 402.
Five examples were
produced in 1936, including this one, currently kept at the Peugeot
Adventure Museum in Sochaux and presented for the first time at the
Paris Motor Show in October 1936.
Extract from the description of this car at the 1936 event:
“Peugeot designs the
first streamlined car bodies - for the motor car, it was
necessary to create a body profile with lines conforming to
aerodynamic laws, while
at the same time meeting the requirements of passenger comfort.
A scientific designed
body - Reduction in vertical lift is important in achieving
equilibrium at high speeds, by stabilising the vehicle through
shifting the centre of
lateral thrust rearward. The Andreau 402 was built on a standard 402
chassis with a 1991cc four-cylinder in-line engine and a gearbox
with a Cotal electromagnetic clutch.
If, without modifying in
any way the chassis that supports the ANDREAU body, the latter is
replaced with an old body design, of the type built several years
ago. The car with the ANDREAU body, on an equal power basis,
achieves a gain in fuel consumption of 30%.
If the car with the
ANDREAU body is pushed to its maximum speed, it can be demonstrated
that the latter is 40% higher than that obtained by the same chassis
with the old body.
The special ANDREAU body
has been built as a design prototype only and is not
yet on sale to the public. PEUGEOT drew much of its inspiration from
characteristics of this body to determine the profiled lines of the
402 and the 302. It is thanks to their low-slung body and their
rationally designed aerodynamic shape that the 302 and the 402
exhibit such extraordinary road-holding ability and remarkable
qualities of speed and fuel economy.”