Peugeot Cars

The Peugeot 307 is a family car produced by the French automaker Peugeot since 2001. A family car is a car classification used in Europe to describe normally-sized cars suitable for a family to go shopping or on vacations. The 307 was introduced as the 307 Promethee prototype at the 2000 Mondial de l'Automobile. The production hatchback versions were presented to the European markets in 2001 as a successor to the Peugeot 306. The 307 was also sold in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and (in 1.6 and 2.0 petrol versions) Mexico. What's interesting, it was awarded the European Car of the Year title for 2002, and continues in production as of 2008 despite the launch of the 308 (its intended successor) in September 2007.

Underline for yourself one noteworthy detail that the 307s makes use of a reworked 306 platform, which can also be found on the Citroen Xsara as well as the 1991 Citroen ZX. However, the car is larger than the 306 in every direction. The 307 continued the company's styling first seen on the Peugeot 206 and Peugeot 607. With upswept front lights and a steeply rising bonnet leading to a highly sloped windscreen (and the upright rear doors first seen on the 206), the 307 departed from the Pininfarina-designed themes employed on the previous two generations of Peugeots, as introduced with the Peugeot 205, and ending with the (evolutionary) Peugeot 406. Its height is 1510 mm (59.4 in), which is in the middle of the spectrum between small family cars (between 1400 and 1450 mm) and compact MPVs (between 1600 and 1650 mm). Some consider the 307 as a low compact MPV rather than a tall small family car, because of its height and profile.

At the beginning, the 307 was launched as a 3- and 5-door hatchback, though in 2002 the 307 range was expanded with the introduction of two estates, called the 307 Break and 307 SW. Externally they are almost identical, with the exception that the SW version has silver roof bars and a 3/4 length panoramic glass roof as standard equipment. Internally though, the 307 Break is a conventional estate, while the SW features an optional third row of removable seats so it is more flexible due to its MPV-like configuration. The SW exists because Peugeot did not develop a compact MPV spin-off as Citroen did with the Xsara Picasso, instead preferring to offer a more flexible version but maintaining the style and road manners of an estate. The 307 CC, a cabriolet with a retractable hardtop, was launched in 2003 to compete against the new European coupé cabriolets. In 2004, a four-door saloon version of the 307 was launched in China. The 307 is produced for the Chinese market by the Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroen Automobile, a joint venture with the PSA Group. This model is also built in Argentina since early 2004.

Besides, in 2005 year the 307 was revised to meet the onslaught of rivals which had been launched since the introduction of the 307 in 2001. The front of the car was restyled featuring mildly revised lights, a new bonnet and the removal of the trademark Peugeot grille between the headlights. With the latter change, along with a new front bumper, the front of the car was now dominated by a larger air intake, as first established on the Peugeot 407, and which was now effectively the company's new grille.

Talking about a World Rally Car based on the 307 CC - the Peugeot 307 WRC, it is a replacement for the multiple manufacturers' and drivers' championship-winning 206 WRC in the World Rally Championship for the 2004 season. The vehicle, nicknamed "The Flying Frog" and "The Whale", was plagued by transmission problems and only began to come into its element in competition towards the end of its factory-supported participation in the WRC. It has three WRC victories to its name, but saw its competition life cut short at the end of 2005 by PSA's decision to withdraw both Citroen and Peugeot from top-level rallying. It topped the podium in the series on the 2004 and 2005 Neste Rally Finland as well as in the 2005 Rally Japan. All the victories were at the hands of double world drivers' champion Marcus Gronholm. A private undertaking by seasoned Peugeot preparatory firm Bozian Racing, dubbed OMV Peugeot Norway World Rally Team, largely assumed responsibility for the running of WRC-spec 307s for the following 2006 season. Manfred Stohl and Henning Solberg were named as the driving personnel, with Stohl placing fourth in the overall drivers' standings. The 307 WRC will be remembered for the accident that befell WRC competitors Markko Märtin and Michael Park on September 18, 2005, which resulted in co-driver Park's death. On stage 15 of Wales Rally GB, Märtin lost control of his 307 WRC and collided with a tree, killing Park instantly. This was the first fatality in a WRC event since 1993. The Peugeot 307 has also been raced in the Danish Touring car Championship.

Peugeot 307 - is that what every family really wants!

Peugeot is a famous French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroen. It is the second largest automobile manufacturer in Europe, after Volkswagen. Peugeot's origins go back to pepper, salt and coffee mill manufacturing in 1842 and later bicycle manufacturing at the end of the 19th century. Its world headquarters are in Paris, Avenue de la Grande Armée, close to Porte Maillot and the Concorde Lafayette Hotel but the Peugeot company and family is originally from Sochaux, France. Peugeot retains a large manufacturing plant in Sochaux which is also home to the Peugeot Museum. The company also sponsors the Sochaux football club, founded in 1928 by a member of the Peugeot family: the club' s arms contain a lion logo similar to Peugeot's.

The Peugeot 1007 is a mini MPV manufactured by the French manufacturer Peugeot since 2004. It is based on the Peugeot 207 and Citroën C3 platform. The 1007's unique design features four pillars and two power sliding doors (as in a large MPV) rather than conventional hinged doors for easier access in cramped spaces and on hills. The car also features user-swappable Cameleo interior trim pieces which cost around €250 for a set. Another innovation is the optional "2-Tronic" semi-automatic transmission (now production finished) which is also used on the Citroen C2, C3 and C3 Pluriel which Citroen calls it The Sensodrive.(though a similar system was used on the Hudson Commodore of the 1950s, albeit using a vacuum shift), which shares the 206's 1.4 L and 1.6 L petrol engines and 1.4 L and 1.6 L diesel engines. For its size, the 1007 is expensive, with prices around €14,000 / £10,000. EuroNCAP has awarded the vehicle its second best ever rating for adult occupant safety.

Talking more about the Peugeot 1007 model, it is the first mainstream car from Peugeot to feature a "double zero" number. One interesting moment is that, in English-speaking countries, the name is correctly pronounced "ten-oh-seven"; Initially it was launched with the pronunciation "one-double-oh-seven" and James Bond-style promotion, Peugeot revised their strategy under pressure from the Bond franchise owners. It is also commonly called the "one-thousand-and-seven". In France it is marketed as the "mille-sept".

The Peugeot 1007, as well as the Renault Modus, was defeated by the Honda Jazz in Top Gear's Mothers' roadtest, with Mrs. Clarkson, Mrs. Hammond and Mrs. May choice is - Honda Jazz.