Inspiration, Move up-market, Internationalisation The Paris Motor Show is a key event for the world’s motor industry. On a new-look stand, Peugeot is displaying its most competitive models in its return to the offensive: the Marque gives top billing to the new 208, reaffirms its policy of moving up-market and providing features that delight motorists, demonstrates once again its inspiration and expertise through the Onyx Concept car and confirms, with the 301 and the 2008 Concept, the acceleration of its Internationalisation strategy.
Among the 40 production vehicles and Concept cars presented on the 3,900m2 stand at the Paris Motor Show, Peugeot is displaying no fewer than ten 208 vehicles: so many aspects of the vehicle which focuses on the unique expertise of the Marque in the category of the Supermini and embodies the regeneration of the brand.
At the end of August, even before its international commercial launch was complete, the heir of the Marque’s ‘2 series’ legend, which went on sale in Europe during the 2nd quarter, had already attracted more than 103.000 customers, of whom 90 % had chosen from its mid- and top-of-therange versions.
Premiered in Paris, the 208 Intuitive takes driver comfort to the highest level.
- Unveiling the Park Assist system, the special edition 3- or 5–door ‘208 Intuitive’ puts technology into everyday use: at the wheel, parking manoeuvres become a magical experience …
- In fact the driver simply has to select the manoeuvre to be carried out on the touchscreen, parallel parking on the left- or right-hand side of the road. Once a suitable space has been detected by the longitudinal and lateral sensors, Park Assist offers to ‘take over’ the steering, under the control of the driver who is responsible for the movement of the vehicle (accelerator / brake, gear selection).
With the launch at the Motor Show of Peugeot Connect Apps on the 208, Peugeot confirms its lead in the field of mobility services. Peugeot Connect Apps offer the user an unparalleled connected experience: The ten applications make the driver’s everyday life easier, by indicating the price of fuel at service stations, the availability of spaces in car parks, etc…
The 208 Type R5, unveiled at the Motor Show, will serve as a reminder on the stand of Peugeot’s sporting pedigree: after the 208 R2, Peugeot Sport is unveiling the 208 Type R5, a new chapter in the sports variants of the 208. Taking over from the 207 Super 2000, uncontested benchmark of the S2000 category both for its awards and for its technical and sporting performance, the 208 Type R5 will benefit from all of Peugeot Sport’s expertise; it will compete in its first races and go on sale in the 2nd quarter of 2013 and then will aim for national and international championship titles the following season.
Move up-market and assumed pleasure
Unveiled initially in the form of Concept cars at the Geneva Motor Show, the 208 XY and 208 GTi are displayed in Paris in their definitive livery, six months before their commercial launch. The 208 has revolutionised the offer in its category. The 208 XY and 208 GTi are muscling in on the Premium segment.
3-door body types with strong exterior identities, special grilles, light signature for the front end, exclusive 17″ alloy wheels, sophisticated working of materials and colours, unique interior ambiances: even before you switch on the ignition, the 208 XY, the chic and exclusive city car, and the 208 GTi, which brings the legend back to life, have in common the ability to turn heads …
Driving pleasure will always be waiting.
The 208 XY will offer powerful and economical petrol and e-HDi engines of 92 to 155bhp. As for the 208 GTi, its chassis will be able to draw the full potential from the 1.6 l THP 200bhp engine coupled with a 6-speed close-ratio manual gearbox.
The 208 XY and 208 GTi are new and clear illustrations of the Marque’s strategy of moving upmarket. A strategy which is already bearing fruit: during the first half of the year, 161,000 of the Marque’s Premium vehicles were sold worldwide, that is 20% of the volumes marketed, an increase compared to the first half of 2011.
The 508, produced in France and in China, increased by 21% during the first half of the year (69,000 sales), the 3008 Crossover (62,000 sales over the period) continues its brilliant sales success, the 207 and 308 Coupé Cabriolets remain among the leaders of the category in Europe; without forgetting of course the RCZ Sports Coupé which affirms its character in a highly visible niche market.
On the Peugeot stand, visitors to the Paris Motor Show will be able to discover the new RCZ which is unveiled a few months before it is available for sale, the renewed advantages of the compact sports coupé which has already won nearly 44,000 enthusiasts since its launch in spring 2010.
The new RCZ adopts an original front end, the more affirmed sportiness of which echoes the power of the rear and the characteristic ‘double-bubble’ curves of the roof. New body colours, new wheels, new arch colour, new and numerous interior ambiances: the attractiveness and exclusivity of the new RCZ are reinforced by an extended range of colour and material combinations, both exterior and interior, which will allow each customer to personalise ‘their own’ RCZ.
And the dynamic emotion will always be there …
The RCZ R Concept, premiered in Paris in its matt black and copper livery, announces the arrival of the RCZ R – an emblematic version of enhanced performance and sportiness, which will be made available at the end of 2013. The RCZ R will receive a new 1.6 l THP petrol engine which delivers some 260bhp, making it the most powerful production model in Peugeot’s history.
Its efficiency is a benchmark with a specific power output among the highest in the world for a production vehicle – more than 160bhp per litre – with target CO2 emissions of …155g/km.
The promise of intense dynamic sensations, the RCZ R benefits from special running gear, combined with a Torsen® limited slip differential.
The Marque’s three HYbrid4 models also contribute, through the major technological and environmental advance of their diesel full hybrid drive train, to the range enhancement requirement. With the HYbrid4 technology, unveiled as a world premiere on the 3008 HYbrid4 launched at the beginning of the year, Peugeot offers an innovative range in terms of environmental performance and driving sensations.
With a combined power of 200bhp from the 2.0 HDi FAP engine and an electric motor on the rear axle, the 3008 HYbrid4 reconciles an enhanced driving experience due to the choice of its four driving modes (Automatic, ‘ZEV (Zero Emissions Vehicle)’, Sport, 4WD) with exceptionally well controlled fuel consumption.
The 508 RXH, then the 508 Saloon HYbrid4 joined Peugeot’s diesel full hybrid range during the 1st half of the year. A range which has already attracted many customers: by the end of June, the three models had achieved more than 9,000 sales.
Inspiration: Onyx Concept and Peugeot Design Lab
Exacting standards, emotion, desire … On Peugeot’s stand at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, in the great tradition of the Marque’s supercars, the Onyx will not fail to grab the imagination of visitors.
Under its radical and sculpted silhouette of 4.65m, seated on 20″ wheels, the Onyx Concept supercar conceals the heart of an athlete: fixed on the carbon fibre shell, the 600bhp 3 litre V8 HDi hybrid in a rear central position, the 6-speed sequential-shift gearbox and the running gear are the result of the exacting expertise of competition at the highest level.
The bodywork calls out with the contrast of its materials and colours: pure copper for the wings and doors, matt black carbon fibre for the other body panels. Framed by the aluminium arches, the ‘double-bubble’ glass roof reveals the carbon fibre structure and an innovative passenger compartment, a pod dressed in felt: so the occupants become at one with the interior. As for the design of the instruments and controls, this was guided by an idea: intuitiveness, following the example of the small steering wheel or the aluminium controls which fall naturally to hand.
With the Onyx, Peugeot continues its innovative use of materials and this is the case with the ‘Newspaper Wood’, produced from compressed used newspapers, from which the dashboard and centre console are made.
Next to the Onyx Concept supercar is the Onyx Concept Bike, an ultra-light superbike with a carbon fibre frame designed by the Peugeot Design Lab, and the Onyx Concept Scooter, a 3-wheeled 400cc hybrid supertrike, serving as a reminder of Peugeot’s historic expertise in the various modes of personal transport.
Rich with expertise resulting from more than 200 years of industrial heritage and 120 years of motor vehicle development, Peugeot presents at the Motor Show the first achievements of the Peugeot Design Lab, launched last June.
The Peugeot Design Lab is a Global Brand Design studio, the purpose of which is to develop strong and coherent brand strategies specifically to reinforce the identity, values and codes of external customers.
Its primary assignment is the design of non-automotive products, services and experiences. So, Peugeot Design Lab plays a part in several areas: brand imaging, creation, development, production and communications.
The considerable expertise and technical resources of the Peugeot Design Centre give the Peugeot Design Lab an unprecedented strike force, on three continents, in Paris, Shanghai and Sao Paolo.
Internationalisation: Peugeot changes gear
During the first half of 2012, the volumes of Peugeot assembled vehicles sold outside Europe increased by 7.5% compared with the same period in 2011, to 287,000 units. For its change of gear, Peugeot is presenting at the Paris Motor Show two major assets in the acceleration of its internationalisation strategy: the 301 and 2008 Concept
The new Peugeot 301, displayed during the two press days, has been designed to appeal to a rapidly expanding clientele, that gaining access to vehicles in the growing markets: a demanding clientele, attracted by three-box saloons which provide status but are also affordable.
The 301 incorporates Peugeot’s latest styling codes to achieve a design of character, arousing emotion and giving a strong sense of strength. Due to its dimensions (length of 4.44m), it offers its occupants generous space – a record in its category in the rear – and an impressive boot volume of 640 litres.
Its range includes the latest generation petrol and diesel engines – including the all-new 1.2 litre 3- cylinder petrol engine – good handling, extensive comfort and safety equipment: The 301 is a comfortable family saloon, safe and strong as it has been developed to suit the sometimes extreme climates and conditions of use of the countries in which it will be launched from Autumn 2012.
The 301 is produced at Vigo (Spain); its wide marketing perimeter will include in particular Turkey, Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, the Ukraine, Maghreb, the Middle East and certain Latin American countries… In a second phase, it will be launched industrially and commercially in China.
The 2008 Concept, the Urban Crossover: after the ‘Urban Crossover Concept’ unveiled at the last Beijing Motor Show, Peugeot is presenting to the public a vehicle for an increasingly urban world. In Europe, in China, in Latin America, Engineers and Stylists have worked together to create this future Peugeot compact model which combines the Marque’s acknowledged expertise in city cars and the know how demonstrated by the success of the 3008 in the domain of the Crossover.
The 2008 Concept is a small compact vehicle (4.14m), agile, versatile, with a refined and striking style, intended for the young city dwellers of Sao Paulo or Shanghai, Paris, Kuala Lumpur or Moscow, who love the city – but also love escaping from it …
In keeping with the impression of dynamism given by its aerodynamic silhouette and its athletic lines, the 2008 Concept hides under its bonnet a development of the family of new generation 3-cylinder petrol engines: the 1.2 l turbo with direct injection reconciles power (110bhp) and torque with particularly well limited levels of fuel consumption and emissions.
The model presented as the 2008 Concept, will be produced close to its customers, in France (Mulhouse), in Brazil (Porto Real) and in China (Wuhan).
