Peugeot argentina to launch the new 308

2012 Peugeot 308

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina : February 9, 2012 - A little more than two months ago, Peugeot Argentina celebrated the industrial launch of the locally produced 308 in the Buenos Aires Production Centre, one of the factories owned by the PSA Group in Latin America, in the presence of Christian Kirchner, President of the Republic of Argentina.

It is now the press` turn to discover 308, on the occasion of a press launch held currently in the province of Mendoza, where 80 Argentine journalists test drive 308 models throughout the highly demanding roads of this picturesque region.

A pre-launch phase was conducted in January leading to the sale of 950 units to final customers, the official commercial launch being scheduled beginning of March 2012.

The new Peugeot 308 is the successor in Argentina to the successful 307 model, which in its segment and in that country has been a point of reference for the last decade and the undisputable sales leader for six years in a row. The Argentine factory of the PSA Group estimates that it will be producing 30,000 units of the new 308 in 2012 and exporting 50% of said production towards the Mercosur area. In the case of Peugeot Argentina, the 308 model aims to be top of its segment in 2012, with a market share of more than 30%.

The 308 makes a relevant quantum leap forward in regards to the 307 model, since it represents a fundamental step towards its move upmarket which Peugeot decided to undertake. The 308 offers three distinctive characteristics which make it a stand-out product compared to the competition: the navigation system, the LEDs and the "sky roof". And it is also outstanding for being the first vehicle manufactured in Argentina with a panoramic glass roof.

The range is made up of three different versions: Allure, Allure Plus and Feline. And it will be available with three different engines: 1.6L HDi diesel with 115bhp, 2.0L petrol with 143 bhp, and 1.6L petrol with 115 bhp. The latter engine has great innovation and is introduced for the fist time in this model. The client may also choose between manual and automatic gearboxes. The 308 family in Argentina is made up of nine different versions at the time of its launch.

The 308 manufactured in Argentina takes on the style and characteristics of the European model, launched in April 2011. Peugeot has already sold 11,495,428 units of its 300 series (301-308) worldwide and more than 1,072,551 correspond solely to the 308.

The 308 produced in Argentina benefits also from all the experience of the Buenos Aires Production Centre, which since 1998 has produced more than a million vehicles.

The production of the 308 in Argentina required two years of work and an investment close to 700 million pesos, with a large percentage of its parts supplied locally, exceeding 60% and the other approximately 40% being sourced mainly from Europe. Furthermore, for its production, more than 88,000 hours of training have been given to operators, technicians, engineers and suppliers.

This new Peugeot model is complemented by the manufacture of the 408 model - launched industrially in 2010 and which began being sold in Argentina at the beginning of 2011- along with other Peugeot vehicles produced at the Argentine site: 206 Generation, 207 Compact and Partner. In 2011, the sales of Peugeot in Argentina increased 33% compared to 2010, with nearly 75,000 registrations, exceeding the market performance which recorded a 28% increase. With the launch of the new 308, Peugeot Argentina aims at ensuring the continuity of this growth.

Images : 2012 Peugeot 308