Category: Peugeot

The small Peugeot is now available in France with a 4-in-line diesel 1.4 HDI engine delivering 54bhp at 4,000rpm. When mounted in a 206 or a C3, this block offers 70bhp. Of course it does not perform as strongly as the petrol unit, but then, it returns an average 60mpg. Contrary to the 3-cylinder petrol engine, it can’t be coupled with an automatic transmission. The smallest Peugeot HDI has a top speed of 95mph and reaches 62mph from and standstill in 15.6 seconds.

It should be available at the end of the year in the UK, priced at £1,000 over the petrol version.
Anyway, this car has a major drawback: Fiat’s Panda Multijet with its 70bhp.

This is the French carmaker’s new goal for 2007, as they told it yesterday. At the end of 2005, they will withdraw from the WRC and completely dedicate themselves to make an HDI engined-car win. They will also take part in the Le Mans Endurance Series at Spa, Silverstone, Nürburgring and Istanbul.
The feasibility of the project still has to be confirmed early 2006, but then, the first prototypes should be on track late 2006. Besides, they will be fitted with a particulate filter called DPFS (Diesel Particulate Filter System). Thus, Peugeot seems to confirm a trend they had initiated with the diesel RC prototype in 2002.

This is not the first time a carmaker wants to win Le Mans with technological devices of its own: in 1991, Mazda had won the famous race with a car propelled by a rotary engine, which was prohibited the following year…

After 4 years of success, Peugeot refurbishes the 307, endangered by the Vauxhall Astra, VW Golf V and… Citroën C4.

Don’t expect major changes though. The front end gets a 407-like look, with a wide grille and stretched headlamps, diode-like lamps take place on the rear end and the cockpit is given a dust, receiving the same sound system as the 407’s along with new heater controls.

Xenon lamps and a tyre-pressure monitoring are now available, and the SW can now be fitted with leather-covered dash.

Fog lamps migrate from the inside of the headlamps to the bumper and become circula, even aluminium-rimmed on higher versions.

Under the aluminium bonnet, the powerful 177bhp 2.0 is no longer reserved to the CC and the lower 2.0-liter engine’s power is raised to 141bhp.

Prices should get an average £600 increase.

A few 207 will be assembled in Poissy, for a general tune-up, in June. Like the Punto III, the 207 will be bigger than its predecessor, a new trend prompted by toughened European protection norms. Peugeot’s new supermini will be based on the same PF1 platform as the Citroen C3. Its 206-inspired body will alternate new materials: aluminium for the bonnet and plastic for the front wings.

The 75bhp 1.4 8V and 95bhp 1.4 16V TU engines should be renewed, but more is to come: this Peugeot, whose internal code is A7, will be the first to be fitted by the new gasoline direct injection (GDI) 1.6 litre PSA has co-developed with BMW. Having an exact capacity of 1598 cc, being endowed with a Valvetronic system, this engine is said to develop either 115 or 163bhp in a turbocharged version that is to come later, before the sporty 170 ps RC though.

As a great specialist of diesel engines, Peugeot will also offer a wide range of his famous HDI: 70bhp 1.4 , 90bhp 1.6 and 110bhp 1.6.

Like the 206, the 207 will be declined in numerous bodies: 3-5 door hatchback, estate (SW) and convertible (CC). A 207-based minivan, called 2007, will come to light in… 2007.

A concept-car giving a hint of the 207 will be shown in the Frankfurt Motor show next September, for an official launch set in January, i.e. a few months after the new Clio and Punto.

Indeed, Peugeot needs to be careful, for the popular 206 won’t be easy to replace. At least, we know Peugeot has not committed the same mistake as when they had decided to replace the 205 by both the 106 and the 306…

The French carmaker Peugeot’s factory of Mulhouse has just released the 5 millionth 206. Launched in 1998, to replace the enormously successful 205, the 206 is in a good position to surpass its predecessor’s record-braking production figure of 5.278 million copies in the next 6 months. This historical 206 is a CC 1.6 HDI, soon delivered in Germany.

Peugeot has perfectly made the most of its supermini, available in a very wide line-up, 3 and 5 door-sedan, SW and CC, with power outputs ranging from 60 to 177 ps.