A few days before its open house—where it will be showcased (Saturday, March 21, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.)—the new prototype from the ESPERA Sbarro UTBM – Montbéliard School was unveiled to the press. Its name: S-121.
The project began with a simple question: What if an extreme version of the charming 104 ZS had existed, in the spirit of the radical variants developed at the time based on the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16?
The students designed this interpretation while retaining the model's iconic silhouette and very compact proportions, but modernizing it and widening it to give it a much more radical look.
From a technical standpoint, the prototype features an architecture worthy of a race car, with a multi-tube chassis and a 1.8-liter turbocharged engine mounted in a mid-rear, transverse position—a nod to the cars that made their mark on the World Rally Championship in the 1980s.
Another inside joke, which connoisseurs may have noticed: S-121 was the internal code name for the Peugeot 104 project.
This first prototype was created by the 2025–2026 class of the ESPERA Sbarro UTBM program, as part of an initiative that combines education, a tribute to automotive history, and creative freedom.
Would you like to take part in the next prototype project as part of the Class of 2026/2027? Discover a unique, internationally recognized program in automotive design and prototyping. High school students and college students, come visit us with friends or family during our open house:
Saturday, March 21, 2026 – 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
, Rue Gaston Pretot, Montbéliard
Visit the workshops, explore the projects students have completed using state-of-the-art tools, and talk with faculty, students, and alumni to learn more about their experiences, the skills they’ve acquired, and their career opportunities.
