French planning an invasion

The French brand expects to see a 25 per cent lift here this year, riding on an aggressive schedule of new models.

The invasion has already started with the recently arrived 508 GT Touring, and next soldiers to land will be the 4008 compact SUV, a special edition of the RCZ sports car, the all-new small 208 – plus limited-edition run-out models of both the 207 it replaces and the 308 – and some green-uniformed troops in the form of the 508 RXH and /or 3008 Hybrid4 are being considered.

“The outlook this year is extremely positive despite difficult economic and competitive trading conditions,” Peugeot Australia general manager Ken Thomas says, adding that it’s off to a good start with sales targets exceeded with the help of restored 508 supply.

“With the imminent launch of the new 4008 SUV, and later the long-anticipated 208 range, we’ll see Peugeot Australia lift sales by 25 per cent to around 7000 units,” he says. Both vehicles head into segments pumped with buyer energy while others – like the gasping large car sector – are looking for life support.

“With the compact SUV segment already growing by a massive 48 per cent, we see the launch of 4008 filling our gap there as a critical element in our overall growth strategy,” Thomas says. Australia will be one of the first markets to get the Japan-built 4008, and Thomas expects buyers will respond to its “European styling, safety, performance and luxury equipment and -- above all else -- competitive pricing and capped price service plan”.

But he is also expecting a splash from the 208 hatch in the premium light car segment, which rose 28 per cent in 2011 with the outgoing Peugeot 207 holding more than half the sales. “The light hatch is synonymous with the Peugeot brand, with the iconic 205, 206 and more recently 207 models,” Thomas says. “We fully expect 208 will contribute around 2000 sales per year as we drive our overall volume toward 8000 units in 2013.

“The 208 hatch range arriving in October will bring a totally new design coupled with innovative standards of technology and performance, and very competitive pricing.” He says the local HQ is also eyeing the diesel-hybrid RXH and 3008 Hybrid 4 models, and will bring both to the Australian motor show in October to gauge reaction for an on-sale date in 2013.

“There is growing interest in the next generation of engine technology so having 3008 Hybrid 4 and RXH presents us with the opportunity fill this gap. The combination of Peugeot’s HDI diesel engine with electric motor powering all four wheels, is a natural marriage of both technologies and one this market will surely embrace,” Thomas says.