Peugeot
Overview
Peugeot (푸조) is one of the oldest automobile manufacturing brands in the world, founded in France in 1810, and today it is operated as a core mass-market brand under the Stellantis (스텔란티스) group. Starting out with iron tools such as coffee grinders and saws, it expanded into bicycles, automobiles, and motorsport, and it is widely known for its nickname, 'the Lion of France,' and its lion emblem. Today it has established itself as a strategic brand that simultaneously pursues the transition to electric vehicles and efforts to capture global emerging markets, with the European market at its center.
Key Content
Corporate History
The Peugeot family set up an iron rolling mill in 1810 and laid the foundations of its industrial base by producing saws, clock springs, coffee grinders, and the like. In 1889 Armand Peugeot presented a steam-powered tricycle, and in 1891 the company built an internal combustion engine automobile, entering the automobile industry in earnest. The Peugeot 201, which appeared in 1929, established the numerical naming system of '201' (a three-digit model name with a zero in the middle), and this became the brand identity that continues today with the 208, 308, 3008, 5008, and others. In 1976 it merged with Citroën to launch the PSA group, and in 2021 it merged with Fiat Chrysler (FCA) to create the Stellantis group, becoming one pillar of the world's four largest automobile groups.
Major Models and Product Lineup
The 208, a small hatchback, is a flagship model that consistently ranks among the best-sellers in Europe, and the 2008, 3008, and 5008 are the SUV lineup that accounts for a large share of the brand's sales. The 508 belongs to the sedan range, and in the commercial vehicle segment, the Partner, Expert, and Boxer are widely used in the European logistics market. Since the 2020s, the company has been rapidly expanding its electrified lineup by launching one after another fully electric models bearing the 'e-' prefix, such as the e-208, e-2008, and e-3008.
Technical Characteristics
Since the 1980s and 1990s, Peugeot has shown strength in the European market with diesel engine technology, especially the HDi common-rail diesel engine. It also led the 'hot hatch' culture with the GTi series (205 GTi, 208 GTi, and others), which put high-performance turbo engines into small cars, and recently it has made its distinctive interior interface known as i-Cockpit (a small steering wheel and a high-mounted instrument panel) part of its brand identity. New models broadly adopt 48V mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric powertrains.
Motorsport
Peugeot has distinguished itself at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the WRC (World Rally Championship), the Dakar Rally, and the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. In particular, it took overall victory at Le Mans with the 905 and 908, and won numerous titles with rally and off-road machines such as the 205 T16, 206 WRC, and 208 T16. These motorsport achievements contributed greatly to building the brand's sporty image.
Global Business Structure
Peugeot's parent company, Stellantis, is a multinational corporation that owns numerous brands, including Peugeot, Citroën, Opel, Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati. Peugeot maintains a high market share in Europe (particularly France, Italy, and Germany) and is expanding its sales network in the Middle East and Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia as well. In the Korean market, it was once sold in the past, and it is also a brand whose possible re-entry has been continuously discussed since its withdrawal.
Latest Trends
In 2024–2025, Peugeot's biggest topics are electrification and securing price competitiveness. Amid variables such as the European tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and the reduction of subsidies in various countries, Stellantis is strengthening its low-priced electric vehicle lineup through the Peugeot brand. It is expanding models based on the STLA Medium platform by introducing new electric SUVs such as the e-3008 and e-5008 in Europe and some emerging markets, and by broadly applying the 48V mild hybrid system to flagship models such as the 208, 2008, and 308, it is raising the fuel efficiency of its internal combustion line and its ability to respond to emissions regulations. In addition, in 2025 it is attempting to refresh its image by reorganizing its brand design language and unveiling a new lion emblem and a fastback-style new model. Meanwhile, at the Stellantis group level, efforts are under way to utilize production bases in Asia, including China and India, cut costs, and reorganize the dealer network, and these are directly affecting the Peugeot brand's pricing policy and lineup composition. The economic slowdown in Europe and the adjustment in the growth rate of electric vehicle demand are cited as major variables for Peugeot's performance in 2025.
Related Topics
- [[Stellantis]]
- [[Citroën]]
- [[Automotive industry]]
- [[Electric vehicle]]
- [[WRC]]