Upmarket small cars are at the forefront of a revival in the fortunes of troubled Peugeot, with the UK leading the way in Europe.
The luxurious 208 XY, sporty 208 GTi and soon to arrive 2008 crossover are all in high demand.
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There is now a three-month waiting list in Britain for the XY, which had been expected to be a niche model, while sales of the GTi have passed 500 in just two months, compared with a 2013 nine month forecast of 800. Meanwhile, Peugeot has taken 400 UK advance orders for the 2008 ahead of its July on sale date, even though the car has not been shown here publicly.
The 2008 has been on sale in France, Italy and Spain for only a matter of weeks, yet early demand has encouraged Peugeot to double annual production at Mulhouse from 5,000 to 10,000 from September.
With a redesigned 308 C segment hatchback set to be revealed in September and to arrive in the UK early next year, Peugeot will have one of the youngest model ranges in the industry, with an average age of just three years. By then, Peugeot will have replaced 80% of its range since the start of 2012.
As demand for compact crossovers continues to grow, Peugeot expects the 2008 to be its second best selling small car after the 208 hatch. It is forecasting 200,000 sales a year, including 9,000 in the UK. Prices here start at just under GBP13,000.
There is no four wheel drive model, but Peugeot offers an option called grip control which uses the car’s electronic driver assistance systems to maintain traction in slippery conditions. It is operated by a five mode switch between the front seats and will be available on all 1.6 litre upper trim models. Six out of 10 cars sold in the UK are expected to have it.
The 2008 is 200mm longer than a 208 with a 25mm ride height. It has been developed in double-quick time in response to the small SUV boom. The design was frozen less than three years ago and the first prototypes did not appear until May 2012.
The UK is Peugeot’s third most important market in the world, after France and China. But, while domestic sales are down 13% against an overall industry fall of 14%, in the UK they are up 6% (industry +8%). Retail sales are especially strong in Britain, up 19%, with the 208 proving particularly appealing. Peugeot has sold 35,000 versions of its small hatchback in its first year on the market.
