Peugeot 402 Éclipse
Push a control and this streamlined Peugeot could fold its steel roof into the tail, changing from snug coupé to open car.
1936 Peugeot 402 Éclipse · Andrew Bone from Weymouth, England · CC BY 2.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
Joyride shows this gap instead of substituting an asking price, unsold bid or mismatched special vehicle.
More than a set of wheels.
Designer Georges Paulin and coachbuilder Marcel Pourtout turned an inventive roof patent into a usable Peugeot. The 402 Éclipse joined the range in 1935 and, in 1936, could use electric power to hide its body-colored steel roof inside the rear luggage compartment. Underneath, it shared the 402 family's aerodynamic body ideas, low center of gravity and 1,991 cc four-cylinder engine.
Look a little closer.
Peugeot says nearly 600 buyers ordered 402 Éclipses, but an official museum-show release says only three examples of the first-quarter 1936 type were then known.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
A real production innovation, not just a show trick
Peugeot's official history says the Éclipse roof moved electrically into the luggage compartment and was offered for sale on the 401, 402 and 601. The 402 version appeared in several forms, so this profile labels the 1936 electric-roof state without borrowing dimensions from a later six-seat long chassis.
Source: Peugeot/Stellantis · 80 years of Éclipse technology ↗Streamlining around the hidden headlights
The 402's low center of gravity, stiff Bloctube chassis and headlights behind the grille all helped create its modern look. Peugeot's anniversary material gives 55 PS and 120 km/h for the first 1,991 cc version; these are family-level figures, while exact weight and wheelbase still depend on the particular Éclipse chassis.
Source: Peugeot/Stellantis · 90 years of the Peugeot 402 ↗Where these facts come from
- Peugeot/Stellantis · Éclipse technology history
- Peugeot/Stellantis · 90 years of the Peugeot 402
- Peugeot/Stellantis · 402 anniversary and design
- Peugeot/Stellantis · 80 years since Éclipse production
- Peugeot/Stellantis · RetroClassics 402 exhibit
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed September 30, 2026.