The Peugeot 300 series evolution: 301 to Peugeot 308
Since January 2022, the new Peugeot 308 has been available. It is the successor of the Peugeot 301, the first car in the Peugeot brand's history, which began in 1932 with the Peugeot 301. Between the Peugeot 301 and the present Peugeot 308, there are ten generations and 90 years of automotive history. Since 2000, the series' models have won two "Car of the Year" awards.
Peugeot met the demands of demanding clients in the early 1930s with the introduction of the Peugeot 301, which was available from 1932 to 1936 as a sedan, coupe, cabriolet, and roadster. The Peugeot 301 was powered by a 1,465 cc 25 kW (35 hp) engine that clocked in at 70,500 revolutions per minute.
In 1936, the Peugeot 302 was introduced, with 25,100 units produced until 1938. Around this period, automobile makers discovered aerodynamics, as seen by Peugeot 302. Its integrated headlamps behind the grille gave it an aerodynamic front end that maintained the Peugeot 402's "Sochaux spindle" styling. Due to the popularity of the Peugeot 402, the manufacturer opted to employ the same platform for its mid-range, which is represented by the Peugeot 302. This variant attained a top speed of 100 kilometers per hour.
The war ended the Peugeot 300 series' development – the Peugeot 303 was never constructed. The series was abandoned for three decades until the 1969 Paris Motor Show saw the unveiling of the Peugeot 304. Sedan, coupe, cabriolet, station wagon, and station wagon with a glass roof were all offered. The Peugeot 304 was designed to compete in the middle-class category and retained the Peugeot 204's technological platform. It does, however, vary from the Peugeot 204 in that it features a vertical grille and a sedan body style, while the estate body style is only 2 cm longer (3.99 meters instead of 3.97 meters). The Peugeot 304 inherited the wheelbase and center section of the body from the Peugeot 204.
Between 1969 and 1979, about 1,200,000 Peugeot 304s were made, and it was a huge commercial success. Between 1970 and 1972, the Peugeot 304 was also introduced in the United States by the lion brand. It was, however, too tiny for the US market, with just 4,000 units sold. The Peugeot 304 was restyled in 1973, and coupe and cabriolet variants were discontinued in 1975.
Peugeot released the Peugeot 305 in Europe in 1977 to replace the Peugeot 304. Two body designs were available: a four-door sedan and a five-door station wagon with a split rear seat. This station wagon was also available in a commercial version, which was created in partnership with Pininfarina. The Peugeot 305 developed the Peugeot 304, which used a 1.3-liter gasoline engine. It separated from overseas competition because of its front-wheel drive, transverse engine, and four independent wheels. The Peugeot 305 soon established itself on the market because of its excellent road handling, spacious cabin, and comfort level comparable to that of higher category vehicles.
The Peugeot 305 sedan served as the foundation for the VERA experimental program, which sought to enhance future car generations' fuel economy. The initial VERA 01 prototype, shown in 1981, had a 20% reduction in bulk and a 30% reduction in drag. The five-year VERA program, which featured the engines, influenced the 1989 Peugeot 405 and Peugeot 605 vehicles. In 1987, the Peugeot 405, not the Peugeot 309, succeeded him at Peugeot.
Between 1985 and 1994, the Peugeot 309 was the first actual compact vehicle in the contemporary sense: it was no longer a four-door notch Peugeot 304 or Peugeot 305 but a hatchback. It is 19 centimeters shorter in length than the Peugeot 305, measuring 4.05 meters (4.24 meters in the sedan version). Inspired by the Talbot Horizon but with a distinct look, it reminded the Peugeot 205's base and doors, with an enlarged front and rear end and a glass dome defining its hatchback.
The Peugeot 309 was introduced as a five-door vehicle in 1985, then two years later, as a three-door vehicle in 1987. Finally, the Peugeot 309 GTi was unveiled, powered by the same 1.9 liters 95 kW (130 horsepower) engine seen in the Peugeot 205 GTi. The Peugeot 309 GTi went from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in only eight seconds and reached a peak of 205 kilometers per hour. In 1989, the Peugeot 309 GTi gained the Peugeot 405's MI16 engine with 117 kW (160 hp) and became the Peugeot 309 GTi 16, a strong small sports vehicle with a reputation for reliability. The Peugeot 309 was discontinued in 1994. There were almost 1.6 million models sold.
The Peugeot 306 was introduced by the lion brand in February 1993. It succeeded both the Peugeot 205 and the Peugeot 309. It quickly became a category best-seller and was manufactured and assembled in no fewer than nine places globally until 2002. From 1993, it was available in three and five doors, and in 1994, a four-door and an appealing convertible were added. The convertible was voted Most Beautiful Convertible of the Year at the 1994 Geneva Motor Show and Convertible of the Year in 1998. It was designed and constructed by Pininfarina. Once again, the Peugeot 308 set benchmarks for road holding, which was emphasized more in the sportier models, the Peugeot 306 XSI and the Peugeot 306 S16.
The Peugeot 306 Maxi won the arduous French Rally Championship in 1996 and 1997, driven by Gilles Panizzi. It later won several tarmac races in the World Rally Championship, including those in Corsica in 1997 and 1998, when it faced hard opposition from the considerably more powerful World Rally Cars.
The Peugeot 309 received a facelift in 1997, along with the introduction of a station wagon. The Peugeot 306 was produced in three and five-door configurations until 2001, when its replacement, the Peugeot 307, was introduced. The station wagon was phased out of production in 2002. Pininfarina manufactured the cabriolet until 2003.
Peugeot 307 was an excellent 2002 "Car of the Year," with over 3.5 million units produced globally. It included a revolutionary half-height design that provided additional room and a big, sloped windscreen. Available in three body styles: three doors, five doors, and station wagon, it gained a new shape in the summer of 2003: the Coupé Cabriolet (CC). It effectively transported the Peugeot 206 CC's current idea to the small category. Thanks to its retractable roof and four comfy seats, the Peugeot 307 CC convertible was one of the most capacious convertibles of its day. He was also the inspiration for the sports version, which competed in the 2004 and 2005 World Championships, winning three times and placing 26th.
In 2007, the Peugeot 308 first-generation succeeded the Peugeot 307, which was replaced by a second generation in 2013. The current Peugeot 308 was succeeded by a third generation in 2021.
The Peugeot 308's first generation was offered in three body styles: three doors, five doors, and SW station wagon. In March 2009, a new iteration of the CC coupé-cabriolet was introduced. A Peugeot 308 RCZ Coupe was unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. This resulted in the Peugeot RCZ, a contemporary 2+2 coupe built 68,000 times between 2010 and 2015 and had a 198 kW (270 horsepower) engine with a 0 to 100 km/h acceleration speed of 5.9 seconds.
Peugeot unveiled the second generation 308 in 2013. The Peugeot 307 twelve years ago was named 2014's "Car of the Year." Its elegance and clean, elegant lines were contemporary. In particular, the driving enjoyment was noted, as was the decreased size and weight. Additionally, the Peugeot i-Cockpit, which is currently available in the Peugeot 208, establishes new standards: the compact steering wheel, which reduces the amplitude of the driver's motions, offers a safe driving experience while also making city driving more accessible. A GTi variant enhanced the Peugeot 308's driving abilities and dynamism, ushering the lion brand into a new age.
Before the new third-generation Peugeot 308 was introduced, the prior two generations of the Peugeot 308 sold 7 million copies. It is manufactured in the Mulhouse facility and has the new Peugeot Shield emblem that will be shown at the launch of the new brand identity in February 2021. It is a handsome, powerful, and economical vehicle that is one of the finalists for the 2022 "Car of the Year" award. The awards ceremony will take place in late February 2022.
