If you’ve been eagerly waiting for the 308 R Hybrid, or a replacement for the RCZ, then we have some bad news for you as Peugeot has put both projects on ice.
Speaking to Autocar, the brand’s CEO, Jean-Philippe Imparato said that their goal is to become a global brand, and until they do, no performance cars will be launched.
“Right now, our main goal is to grow beyond two million units a year, but also to spread our footprint and to sell more than 50 percent of our cars outside of Europe. Until we do that, I’m much more interested in cars that sell in hundreds of thousands, than those that sell in smaller numbers“, Imparato said.
As part of their plan, the French automaker is looking to tap into the pickup truck segment, with a new vehicle: “With a one-tonne pickup truck, we can tap into a huge global market. We could either develop one within the group, or with a partner, and our existing connections [i.e. Toyota] give us possibilities“, he added.
The firm’s global ambitions also include a possible return to both Africa and North America, the latter within five years, as well as the upcoming 508 midsize saloon, which is currently in development and will hit the market next year.
Moreover, the successor of the RCZ won’t be an average sports car, as Imparato says that they need “a car that can take the Nordschleife lap record“. “I really like the commitment of makers like Porsche to cars like this – and with Peugeot Sport, I believe we have the team to make such a car. It would be expensive, but so what? We could do it“, Peugeot’s head honcho explained.
Note: Peugeot 308 R Hybrid pictured
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