Peugeot rejigs line up to lure buyers

Peugeot 308 GTI. Photo / Supplied

Peugeot's rejigged its compact-car line-up. A single 308 GTI sports hatch arrives in October to attract a younger audience into showrooms. It'll use the same 147kW 1.6-litre turbo engine as the manual RCZ coupe, along with 18-inch alloys, larger brakes and a front and rear spoiler.

Those younger buyers will have to wait for their car though; just 10 will arrive, on sale from January 11 at $49,990.

Meanwhile 308 hits a new price position with the XS at $31,990 as does the smaller 207 at $26,990 for just one model, the Premiere Auto Edition which launches on September 1. Peugeot NZ general manager Grant Smith says, "We looked at what sort of product we need to take on Suzuki's Swift. The 207 has more power, more space; and Swift's $24,000 model sells most."

He hopes to persuade buyers to go Euro with this car, using 'value' rather then pure price point to persuade them, and he's confident his strategy will work. "If I can't sell this I need to hang up my hat and go home."