New Peugeot 208 (2012) to be revealed next week

It’s reported that the long awaited replacement for the 207 – the new Peugeot 208 – will be revealed next week. Goes on sale after Geneva debut in 2012.

The Peugeot 207 has been around for a long time, and has never quite hit the highs in sales Peugeot hoped. But the replacement for the 207 – the new Peugeot 208 – is just round the corner, and Peugeot has high hopes the new 208 will be a big hit.

We’re expecting the Peugeot 208 to make its production ready public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in the Spring of 2012, but La Tribune are reporting this morning that Peugeot are planning to reveal the 208 on 2nd November.

The new Peugeot 208 will be produced in equal measure at Peugeot factories in France and Slovakia, with Peugeot targeting sales of 500,000 cars a year – 30 per cent of those in France. There are also plans to extend production to Brazil and China and to add a saloon version of the 208 for those markets.

The 208 will have a lower entry price point than the current 207. It will also be a shorter but have more cabin space and lighter too, which should help economy.

Expected to launch with three-pot petrol engines starting from 68bhp and with emissions of 99g/km, there will also be a 90bhp e-diesel with emissions as low as 87g/km.

Gone will be the big gob nose so familiar on Peugeots for so long, to be replaced with a nose which follows the family theme on the new 508.

The wish list – at least for hot hatch fans – is that Peugeot see fit to bring a spiritual successor to the 205 GTI in the 208, perhaps with the 1.6 litre turbo lump we know can deliver 200bhp. Even if we do get the 208 GTI, we will still see a much tamer 208 GT to mop up sales from younger drivers who want butch looks but couldn’t stretch to the insurance on a 208 GTI.

Peugeot are not having an easy time at the moment, and are busy rationalising their production plants and, it’s reported, looking to shed up to 10 per cent of their workforce.

Hopefully the new 208 will help Peugeot recover sales.

We hope so. We rather like modern Peugeots.

 

Source: La Tribune