Peugeot 208: More details & Video

Peugeot 208 - video and extra detail

We’ve already covered the reveal of the Peugeot 208, but most of the information we had was in advance of Peugeot’s official release of details on the replacement for the 207. So we thought we should update with the extra bits that have come in from Peugeot on the new 208 this morning.

There are already more photos in the gallery for the Peugeot 208 (below) than Peugeot sent us, so we’ve covered that. What we didn’t have yesterday was anything of the 208 on the move, but as Peugeot has sent us video of the 208 we’ve put that below too.

Picking through the bits of Gallic prose in the information Peugeot as sent us on the 208 (‘Peugeot has not hesitated to rewrite the rulebook‘, ‘representing a new stage in Peugeot’s desire to drive itself towards ever greater modernity‘) we’ve managed to cover most of the details already.

But specific details are in more depth, as you would expect, so let’s cover that.

The new Peugeot 208 is lighter than the 207, by as much as 173kg and by 100kg on average across the new range. It’s also shorter, by 7cm, and lower, by 1cm. Not huge numbers, but in an age when every generation of cars seems to take up more space, it’s admirable Peugeot has opted for a smaller footprint.

Despite the more compact external dimensions, the new 208 is roomier on the inside. Rear seat passengers enjoy an extra 5cm of knee room over the old 207 and the boot – not exactly huge on the 207 – is more generous in the 208.

On the styling front, Peugeot fall back on the Gallic prose again with talk of ‘new aesthetic codes of the Marque’. They point to the floating grill, light signature and boomerang tail lights, all of which adds up to a design which is ‘ Sculpted, athletic, pure and sophisticated’. And with hints of little Peugeots past with the style of the rear quarter panel on the three-door 208.

The meat of the 208 – apart from the gushing about the 208′s design – is under the bonnet. Average CO2 emissions drop by 34g/km compared to the 207.

Four of the five models – three door and five door – get a start-stop, and the diesel e-HDI comes with economy and emissions from 87g/km and 83.1mpg, and none of the four exceeds 99g/km. Which will make the new 208 a very popular city car.

Even the petrol engines – new 3-pot 1.0 and 1.2 litre VTi lumps – start with emissions of 99g/km and 65.7mpg.

So, more detail on the 208 – and plenty of bigging-up of the new baby Peugeot – makes it clear Peugeot has big hopes for the 208. And it all looks very promising, with the expectation of a better driving, more comfortable and more economical car. We’ll find out when we drive it .

The new Peugeot 208 arrives in European showrooms in Spring 2012, and in the UK in the Summer. Sadly, no confiramtion of a 208 GTI or even a 208 GT. But they’ll come.

(16 photos – click any thumbnail for full gallery)

By Cars UK