The Peugeot armoured car had a front mounted engine, driver in the middle and open topped fighting compartment at the rear.

To support the additional weight of the armour and armament, the chassis and suspension were strengthened and double wheels were used on the rear.

[1][2][3] In the early months of the war, commercially acquired Peugeot type 153 tourers were hastily converted to open topped armoured cars by the addition of slab-sided 5.5 mm (0.22 in) thick armoured plates around the crew compartment and an unprotected rear fighting compartment with wooden sides with a central pivot mounted machine gun or 37mm gun protected by a light gun shield, 120 were built.

The new design provided armoured protection for the engine and fighting compartment and a more enclosed gun shield for the armament, although the top remained open.

[1][3][4] From 1915 the Western Front had bogged down in trench warfare and there was little use in French service for these cars, some being used for rear area patrols.