New Peugeot 301 introduces new Peugeot numbering

Peugeot 301

The new Peugeot 301 saloon is revealed ahead of a Paris 2012 debut, launching Peugeot’s new numbering for its models.

It’s not a car we’ll be getting in the UK and Europe, but the new Peugeot 301 is important nonetheless as Peugeot expect it to be one of their biggest sellers.

Coming in at 4440mm long – which is a bit bigger than a 308 but smaller than a 508 – the Peuegot 301 is a saloon car that’s being built in Spain and aimed at the car markets in Turkey, Eastern Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Greece, Middle East and Africa.

Engines will be the latest Peugeot lumps despite the 301 being aimed at a budget market with the 1.6 litre HDi and 1.6 litre VTi available, and also the new 1.2 litre VTi 3 cylinder engine making an appearance for only the second time.

With decent standard of equipment including AirCon, MP3 Audio and Bluetooth and parking sensors Peugeot has high hopes that its budget offering for emerging markets will help it bolster falling sales in mature markets. The new Peugeot 301 will debut at the Paris Motor Show in September.

The new 301 also ushers in a new naming system for Peugeot. The central ’0′ remains with the model designation still being the first number. Put the last of the three numbers – which has risen with each subsequent new car – will now stay fixed.

That means Peugeot models ending in ’8′ will stay that way for evermore so, for example, the car that follows the Peugeot 208 won’t be the 209 but the ‘new’ 208. Also, models destined for emerging markets and considered ‘budget’ will get a three digit number ending in ’1′. Just like the new Peugeot 301.

Clear as mud, then?

By Cars UK