Peugeot 2008 reveal tipped for Beijing

Peugeot is likely to unveil an ultra-compact SUV at next week’s Beijing motor show, as the logical step on from  the HR1 concept presented at Paris show as an urban adventurer. 

Along with the expected 208 GTi, the all-paw baby when put into production will start filling out the 208 range that arrives here in October with three- and five-door bodies.

“We have said the volume we are expecting for 208 is 550,000 units per year – and we will not achieve that with just the two body styles we are showing today,” says Peugeot’s world press and external relations manager Marc Bocque.

“The ambition of this car is very great and there will be many other silhouettes to come, and I would say to a certain extent very quickly. “The first one will be at the Beijing motor show… there will be an important sign as far as these things are concerned.” 

“In Peugeot history we almost never show a concept car in motor shows free of intention.” The vehicle at Beijing will be far from production ready, Peugeot interior designer Adam Bazydlo hints. “You will see my next project at Beijing, but only the exterior. But when you see the interior you will realise why it is my project…”

That suggests the SUV will carry the 208’s ‘head-up cluster’, which moves the instruments up from behind the steering wheel onto the top of the dash. Following the pattern of the just-launched 4008, the ultra-compact 2008 will probably have a choice of two- and all-wheel drive, and a similarly wide choice of both petrol and diesel engines.

There has been growing interest in similar vehicles – Ford Ecosport and the platform-sharing Nissan Juke and Renault Duster among them. And Bocque believes the 208 platform would be a good candidate for variation. “You can see already that with 208 we have succeeded to have a car with a fantastic architecture,” he says.

“There will be different body styles on 208. It will be a family of the same size and quality of 207, 206 and 205... but with some different proposals."