If Peugeot’s to survive its current financial woes, it needs to get younger buyers excited about the brand. Along with the 208 GTI, the brand will be showing this, the 2008 concept, at the Paris motor show.
It’s a small, urban-friendly crossover designed to be more practical than a standard supermini, combined with an eco-friendly 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine.
Which niche does the Peugeot 2008 fill, exactly?
Think of the 2008 as Peugeot’s Nissan Juke. It’s similarly sized to the quirky Nissan, at 4.14m long and 1.74m wide, and has a five-door body that rides higher than a regular supermini.
The front ‘floating grille’ being rolled out across the new Peugeot range has its most bluff application yet, while the large alloys and strongly sculpted body flanks give the car a more butch stance.
Peugeot says it wants the car to appeal to urban-savvy younger buyers who enjoy city life but like to escape it too – hence the integrated roof bars for lashing your outdoor lifestyle equipment to. Can the 2008 reboot Peugeot’s youth mojo? Tell us your verdict in the article comments below.
What powers the 2012 Peugeot 2008?
Under the bonnet is a 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, producing 110bhp. Peugeot also promises the production versions will have low CO2 emissions and good economy performance when the 2008 goes into full-scale production before the end of 2012.
Peugeot is making a splash at its home show: it’ll also show the facelifted RCZ line-up headed by the new RCZ R, the Onyx concept car and new versions of the 208, including the eagerly anticipated GTI.