SPY PICS: Peugeot 2008
French lion aims to cash in on burgeoning baby SUV segment as Peugeot readies 208-based crossoverPeugeot is readying its riposte to the likes of the Nissan Juke and Skoda Yeti in the form of a new 2008 mini-SUV that was previewed at the Beijing motor show earlier this year by the Urban Crossover Concept.
Captured here by the Carparazzi lenses, this heavily disguised prototype precedes the production-ready vehicle that’s expected to debut at the end of September at the Paris Motor Show.
European deliveries are expected to commence by the end of the year, or in early 2013. Peugeot Australia will launch the 208 next month and says it is interested in the 2008, so we could conceivably see it here later next year if it gets the green light.
The popularity of small SUVs is booming in Australia, as it is in Europe, Asia and South America, so the 2008 is potentially shaping as a high-volume model on a worldwide scale.
The newcomer is believed to be underpinned by the P1 supermini platform that also forms the basis for the 208 as well as Citroen’s C3 and DS3.
It will be a genuinely compact offering, as the UCC measured 4140mm from bumper to bumper and 1740mm across the bows – roughly on par with the Nissan Juke, which is 4125mm long and 1765mm wide.
The UCC was styled with heavy input from all three Peugeot design studios, in Paris, Sao Paolo and Shanghai, which is a clear indication of the 2008’s global aspirations.
Although the UCC sported an oversize wheel/tyre package, a barrage of LED lights and many futuristic design elements, the showroom-ready 2008 will be toned down dramatically.
However, elements such as the six-sided grille, flared wheel-arches and overall proportions are expected to translate largely unchanged to the production version.
Details on the powertrain options are still being kept secret, but it is believed that it will be the first car within the PSA Peugeot Citroen Group to be available as a petrol-hybrid model.
The hybrid powertrain will be similar to the one found in the 3008 Hybrid4 (featuring a diesel engine) in which the electric motor and batteries will be housed at the back and power the rear wheels.
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