While Peugeot enjoys success in Europe and Latin America, the company has long wanted a lion’s share of sales in Asia. In a market where Japanese and South Korean brands rule, one of France’s largest automakers wants to make its presence felt in the East.
At the moment, Peugeot pins its hopes on the 2008, the 3008, and the 5008 for global markets. However, one model will soon join those three crossovers: the 408. Peugeot recently announced that it will soon launch this model, but didn’t mention what exactly it will be. The company did provide a few clues, however, as to what it might look like once launched.
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If you trace the 408’s lineage, the nameplate has been around since 2010. Since that time, it has served as the sedan version of the Peugeot compact (C-segment) hatchback, the 308. While the sedan is not sold in mainland Europe, it is available in China and was offered in Latin America and other emerging markets. With that, there is a strong indication that the new-generation 408 will not be a crossover. There is also a good chance that it will use the same chassis used by the all-new 308 and the 3008 crossover.
Interestingly, Peugeot’s press junket mentioned that the 408 will “combine the characteristic codes of SUVs with a dynamic fastback silhouette.” But what does Peugeot’s description for the upcoming car mean for the likes of us? It’s too early to tell. but there is a chance it could draw some inspiration from its larger sibling, the 508 fastback sedan. It will be interesting to see how Peugeot incorporates SUV design elements for this model.
Peugeot says it will debut the 408 towards the end of June 2022. By then, we will know full details of the car, along with its interior and exterior design. We are curious if Peugeot Philippines will consider this model for the local market. Given the new management’s goals for the Philippines, it might be worth a second look.
