Peugeot Automobiles Australia
Head Office
PEUGEOT Australia
Level 2, 4 Burbank Place
Baulkham Hills, NSW
Media Contact
Daniel Khan
PR & Product Manager
M: +61 439 984 223
E: Daniel.Khan@inchcape.com.au
PCA PR Department
PCAPR@Inchcape.com.au
Senior Management
Ben Farlow - Managing Director
Ahmed Andal - General Manager Finance and Operations
Daniel Morris - General Manager Sales and Aftersales
Kate Gillis - General Manager Marketing
Corporate History
As the world's oldest car brand, Peugeot has come a long way in the 120 years since its foundation.
The Peugeot family business moved from rolling mill in 1793, to industrial manufacturer in 1810 to one of the world's first motor cars in 1889.
And since then Peugeot has developed a strong, long-term relationship with Australian motorists.
The Peugeot first appeared on Australian roads early last century with official documentation confirming formal distributor agreements in the early 1920s.
However, 1949 was the year the brand was first represented nationally, with Peugeot celebrating 60 years in Australia in 2009. Since this time Australians have come to know Peugeot as a dependable partner.
In fact it was 1953 when an outback battle between man, machine and the tortuous Around Australia Redex Trial helped put Peugeot on the map in this country.
Much to the experts' surprise the car and driver combination wasn't one of the well known aces of the day such as "Gelignite" Jack Murray in his Plymouth or Lex Davison in the home grown Holden 48/215.
They were left in a cloud of red dust by a mild-mannered pharmacist from Maitland, NSW, Ken Tubman and navigator John Marshall in their ruggedly reliable, four-cylinder, Peugeot 203 sedan. The 203's highly advanced yet unbreakable suspension, accurate rack and pinion steering, and overdriven top gear were all considered exotic at the time. Outstanding dynamics, reliability and exceptional comfort remain Peugeot hallmarks years later.
A host of ground-breaking Peugeots have followed the 203.
The very popular 504 and 505 models of the late 60s through to the mid 80s re-defined affordable quality.
The 205 GTi is, to this day, revered as a legend of the automotive industry – and is credited with helping to establish the concept of the hot hatch. The 205 GTi also spawned the dominating 205 T16 Group B rally cars, which won the World Rally Championship constructors' and drivers' titles of 1985 and 1986.
The 306 hatch quickly became Peugeot's most popular model to date. With classic styling and iconic models such as the GTi-6 and Pininfarina-designed Cabriolet, the 306 found a warm place in the hearts of many Australians.
The introduction of the 406 range in 1996 and the 206 range in 1999 saw the popularity of Peugeot models extend beyond the previously narrow model range. At the top of the 406 lineup sat one of the most beautiful cars to ever grace Australian roads – the Pininfarina-styled 406 Coupe.
The 307 won Peugeot's third European Car of the Year title in 2002 (after the 405 in 1988 and the 504 in 1969) and went on to become Peugeot's first true "world car", being sold with success in Europe, Asia, Oceania, and parts of Central and South America.
The current 407 model replaced the 406 in 2004, and further positioned Peugeot's medium-sized sedan and wagon as a more luxurious proposition.
The 207 replaced the 206 in 2007 and brought with it improved quality and user-friendliness, and in addition to the Peugeot range, the 308 hatch and Touring models arrived in 2008 to critical claim. In 2009 the 308 Touring was honoured with an Australian International Design Award.
Since the launch of the 206 CC (and the 307 CC a few years thereafter), Peugeot has developed a reputation for popular and stylish coupe cabriolets. In 2009, Peugeot completed its coupe cabriolet model replacements with the 308 CC joining the 207 CC. The most recent addition to the Peugeot range is the 4007, introducing Automobile Peugeot's first foray into the word of four wheel drive.
In 2010 Peugeot Australia will also be introducing the 3008 and the alluring RCZ to the Australian market.
Several Peugeot models have been assembled in Australia, local production beginning with the 203 in 1953, moving through models such as the 403, 404 and 504 in the 1960s and '70s, to finish with the 505 in the early 1980s.
Since the introduction of a diesel version of the 504 in the 1970s, Peugeot has become one of the pioneers of diesel engine technology in passenger vehicles – a company that has played a quite significant role in diesel engines becoming broadly accepted in Australia.
Peugeot changed diesel engine technology forever when it became the first manufacturer to introduce a particulate filter on a passenger vehicle on the luxury 607 in 2000. This technology has been adopted across the marketplace and has led to more efficient and cleaner diesel engines.
In 2008, John and Helen Taylor set a world record for fuel consumption in a 308 1.6-litre HDi. The Taylors traveled 14,580km around Australia and recorded an average fuel consumption of 3.13 L/100km.
As the world's oldest existing car brand, Peugeot has demonstrated an ability to endure and succeed through the toughest of times.
In 2014 the company launched arguably its most important all new model, the T9 308.
Underpinned by an all-new platform, with an all-new 3 cylinder PureTech drivetrain, the 308 went on to secure European Car of the Year for 2014.
Later in 2015 the PureTech drivetrain won a coveted International Engine of The Year Award – proof positive that Peugeot's efforts behind the scenes were paying off.
In 2016, the company completed its financial turnaround and began the next phase of its history – one underpinned by products that exude French style, charm, quality and emotion.