Peugeot are going through a bit of a turbulent phase at the moment. They announced a loss of £1.02bn for 2009 (which was curbed by “Bangers for Cash”) and shareholders are pressuring management for more growth. So, Peugeot are revamping their line up, starting with the 407. The 407 was a bit bland and really only existed to sell to fleets, so PSA are going to give it a new lease of life…..by killing it. Car Magazine reports that the Peugeot 407 is going to be retired and replaced with the 508. The 508 will be showcased at the 2010 Geneva motor show. The car is still in concept phase, but is strongly suggesting that the design of the concept car will be spread across all ranges.
I won’t bore you with the ins and outs of the “massive shark’s gob” and let the pictures do the talking. What is interesting (as far as I’m concerned) is the powertrain. Peugeot are planning to make this car a hybrid using its own “PSA HYbrid4” system. It’ll combine a 2.0 litre, 163bhp diesel engine with a 37bhp electric motor, which will power the rear wheels. Sound familiar? That’s because it’s a system similar to the one Ford are planning to use in their new Ford Focus RS. Peugeot’s 508 hybrid will deliver (they say) 73mpg and emissions of 99g/km, which means it will be exempt from UK road tax. Which sounds great until you remember that Electronics and the French have never really mixed well together.
I wonder if Mitsubishi is contributing to the development of this hybrid system? That was, after all, the raison d’etre for the corporate hookup.
Oh those French, announcing financial results in £, what a bunch of kidders!!
Hey, at least Peugeot didn’t list power output in joules per second…
perhaps it’s so they can cite “smaller” losses what with the £ in freefall against the €
:)
” Which sounds great until you remember that Electronics and the French have never really mixed well together.”
True enough.
I hate to dredge up old stereotypes, but have you heard the one about why the Brits drink warm beer?
Because of the “Prince of Darkness” … funniest thing about that whole joke (the end of which is “because they have Lucas refrigerators!”, is that this was told to me by a Lucas(/CAV) Key Account Manager!
I never understood the Citroen/Peugeot branding. Both brands are cheap cars, neither is premium (except for the larger of their vehicles get fancier). And the numbering scheme that Peugeot use, doesn’t tell me anything, especially since the smallest car has the largest number. Like Scion, where they made a “D”that is below the “B” model.
My mom has had 2 Citroen and after 70-80,000 km the entire transmission/motor combination got all funny like it wouldn’t make it to 100,000 km.
Damn. I had a 407 as a rental for a month two years ago and what a delight it was to drive. It was quick, handy, comfortable and stylish. I’ve had several near-misses with moving to France full time, and had any come to pass a 407 would have been my next acquisition. 407s are evidently under-rated by a large margin, but I cannot tell how well they age.
In the ’60s, when I lived there for a year, and probably into the ’70s, Peugeots were on the higher end of French cars, comfortable, stylish, fun to drive by the standards of the day.
It’s not unattractive to my eye … but that’s probably due to the abundance of VW/Audi styling cues that Peugeot has cribbed.
Unlike the Americans they actually engineer and design their own cars. I can only think of one Ford built on a US developed platform.
Our industry has become a international disgrace.
What a concept, improving drooping sales by offering models that consumers might actually want.
Alright…
I live in the east coast of the U.S so I will probably never touch a Peugeot.
However…
That doesnt stop me from checking out the site and loving on the 206, 207, 308, 308sw or the 407sw.
And seeing the 5 by Peugeot.. is a complete about FACE in the design of Peugeot.
If I wanted a MAXIMA, Id BUY a MAXIMA.
I was hoping.. for a further design of the aforementioned cars.. into a large sedan and this… isn’t it.
I don’t know if the maw is confusing me, or the Maxima lights.. or the nose that’s been cut off (to spite its face, but its confusing me.)
The Hybrid system is designed and supplied by Continental Cammy and the last time I looked, I sink zey were ze Germans!