Peugeot news

Peugeot is releasing less confronting new models as it looks for explosive sales growth in Australia. Just a month after Renault launched a Camry-style new model called the Fluence to wind back on its quirky Frenchness, Peugeot says it also intends to pitch its future cars at a broader audience.

Peugeot admits there are only a limited number of 'loyalists' it can tap from its past history and says it needs more mainstream acceptance to hit its target of 8500 sales in less than five years. "You might say we're being more conservative. But we're looking to grow the business, in Australia and globallly," says Peugeot's Australian chief, Ken Thomas.

Peugeot has 10 new models in the pipeline - including a born-again baby GTi and a compact SUV with a sub-$30,000 base price - and is starting its product offensive with the all-new and inoffensive 508 flagship. It is the least-Peugeot of any newcomer in style and driving feel, and more Japanese in many ways, something that's expected to be reflected in less polarising design and cabin quality in all of its future models. Peugeot sales are currently sitting at around 6500 cars a year but the target is 8500 by the end of 2012, with another big jump in 2013.

"All that adds up, in terms of the Australian story, to an exciting story. We'll bring cars to market fairly quickly," says Thomas. "This year we expect to sell around 6500 cars, a modest increase on 5600 last year. If you look at the moment, we're about line-ball with last year, but we ran out of stock of 407 and our SUV.

"By 2012 we think we can raise our volume to 8500, thanks to our existing range and some key new models. By 2013, the aim is to lift our volume b a massive 70 per cent. It looks a tall order but there is a product plan behind it. By the end of that year we'll look like a very different company."

Thomas outlines an offensive that starts with the 508 and an updated 308 - which finally loses the gaping mouth and Angelina Jolie lips of the current car - then adds an eHDI powerplant before the end of this year, before the arrival of a new 4008, the Hybrid 4, new 408 and baby 208 before the end of next year. Apart from the newcomers, Peugeot has also just chopped $1000 from the pricetag of the baby 207 range, leaving the starting price at $18,990 with a boost of leather trim in the CC model, and also cut $6500 from the 4007 to have it starting at $34,990.

"We have ten new models to revitalise our product offering. It will include the return of GTi," says Thomas. But there is one question he cannot answer yet - the possibility of a 508 coupe. "It's an unanswered question. The only thing we've seen is the SR1 concept car, but it remains to be seen if it makes it to the market. We cannot confirm if the coupe will be replaced," he says.