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Peugeot dealers are expected to benefit from a significant retail sales boost with the launch of two new small turbocharged petrol engines, which will debut in the 308 and 308SW, while reducing its traditional reliance on diesel sales.
The market split between total petrol and diesel sales in the UK is currently split 49.5% and 48.7%, according to the latest SMMT figures.
The new PureTech petrol engines — 1.2-litre three-cylinder direct-injection units developing either 110 or 130bhp – are also destined for the 208 and 2008 later in the year. These new engines have been developed by the carmaker, unlike the 1.6-litre petrol in the previous 308, which was a joint venture with the BMW Group, and are claimed to be 21% more economical with 18% lower CO2 emissions.
As a result, Peugeot is expecting a sizeable shift in overall sales and the share taken by petrol engines for the new 308 range. It is confident of improving 308 sales by 22% this year, or 3,000 cars, with all the increase attributed to the new engines.
In the past, petrol models accounted for only around 12% of 308 sales in the UK. With the new engines, the company is predicting a 29% share for petrol in Britain. The change in the balance will be most noticeable among private buyers: Peugeot expects petrol engines to take a 60% share compared with 40% previously.
“The 120bhp 1.6-litre diesel will still be the number one choice among fleets, but the new petrol engines will change the overall landscape,” said Peugeot. This will bring Peugeot’s petrol-diesel sales mix closer into line with those of the Ford Focus. Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine takes 41 per cent of Focus sales in the UK, and 70 per cent with retail customers.
Source: Headline Auto