The name for Citroën’s SpaceTourer Concept Hyphen, a funkified version of its new SpaceTourer van, did not come via a collaboration with an organization of grammar teachers or copy editors; instead, Citroën teamed up with one the most prolific electronic rock bands in France. The SpaceTourer Concept Hyphen was built with input from Hyphen Hyphen, and the band?founded in 2009 by four art students?gave its best to spice up the otherwise ordinary people-mover.

The exterior benefits most obviously from a funky paint job; it also sports 19-inch wheels and innovative tires with 5 elastomer straps each, an element that is repeated on the front and rear bumpers. Those beefier bumpers and lower-body trim, along with a raised ride height, give the van “an SUV personality,” says Citroën. Inside, the seats, dash, and headliner are executed in a multi-hued color scheme. And there are straps on the seats as well, beyond the regular seat belts. Its maker describes the cabin as a place “where all occupants can enjoy fun, freedom, and unlimited adventure.”

The limitless adventure can take place at remote locations, thanks to a four-wheel-drive system supplied by Automobiles Dangel, an engineering firm with a long history of 4×4 conversions of PSA cars. Getting your there is a 150-hp diesel engine whose output is channeled through a six-speed manual transmission.

The French Turn on the Weird, Slate It for Production: Citroën’s E-Mehari
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