Peugeot UK Launches 3008 with More Powerful Diesel and Six-Speed Auto

Peugeot will expand its 3008 crossover range in the UK this June with the introduction of the 3008 HDi 163 FAP Automatic variant, which will be available in two trim levels, Sport and Exclusive, priced from £21,395 and £22,795 respectively.

The latest 3008 model gets a new and more powerful 2.0-liter turbo diesel engine that delivers an output of 163bhp at 3,750 rpm and a maximum torque of 340 Nm (258 lb-ft) at 2,000 rpm. The HDi 163 is only available with a six-speed automatic gearbox that features two driving modes - automatic and sequential selection control.

According to the French automaker, the 3008 HDi 163 FAP Automatic completes the 0-62mph (100km/h) sprint in 10.2 seconds and reaches a top speed of 127mph (204km/h).

It returns 32.5 mpg UK city, 52.3 mpg UK highway and a combined fuel economy of 42.8mpg UK which is equal to 6.6 lt/100km and 35.6mpg US.

Both trim levels come equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels with energy saver tires, rear parking aid, cruise control, radio / CD player with MP3, leather steering wheel, front fog lights, electric windows, air-conditioning, automatic electric parking brake with hill assist, ESP, six airbags, ABS with EBFD, and remote central locking as standard.

The Exclusive version adds several goodies to the standard specification including a panoramic glass roof, automatic headlights and wipers, head up display, distance alert, rear side window sun blinds, tire pressure sensors, alarm, chrome front & rear bumpers and side rubbing strips, and dual zone digital air-conditioning.

Irmscher to Present Peugeot 3008 RC Line at Geneva Motor Show

European tuning firm Irmscher will debut a new range of accessories called "RC Line" for the Peugeot 3008 at next week's Geneva Salon. The Irmscher mods inject some additional visual flair into the French firm's new compact crossover model.

The available bits for the exterior include a stainless steel radiator grille with chrome trimming, a front spoiler, side skirts and a roof spoiler. There's also a lowering kit and 19-inch alloy wheels that are available in silver or black finish and are wrapped in 225/40 R19 performance tires.

For the interior, Irmscher's accessorization programme includes a full leather treatment that covers the door panels, dashboard and central console as well as the seats.

Pricing and more detailed information will be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show on March 2.

Peugeot to Reveal RCZ HYbrid4 and 3008 HYbrid4 Production Model in Frankfurt

Together with the production version of the impressive RCZ sports coupe, Peugeot's Frankfurt Show stand will also host the world premiere of the experimental RCZ HYbrid4 prototype and the 3008 HYbrid4 crossover in production form. As their moniker suggests, the two HYBrid4 models share the same hybrid drivetrain. It combines a 163-horsepower 2.0-liter diesel with stop and start that drives the front wheels and an electric motor with 27 HP and temporarily, 37 HP, that powers the rear wheels.

The hybrid system works in parallel allowing alternate, for maximum efficiency, or simultaneous, for increased performance, operation of the HDi diesel engine and the electric motor which can produce a combined maximum output of 200-horsepower.

The French automaker claims that the system can reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 35 per cent in the combined cycle, compared to conventional engines of an equivalent power output.

The 3008 HYbrid4 that is scheduled for launch in the spring of 2011 is said to return a combined fuel economy figure of 3.8 lt /100km or 61.9 mpg US with CO2 emissions of just 99g/km.

Depending on how well the 3008 HYbrid4 is received by the market, Peugeot may also introduce a production version of the RCZ HYbrid4.

Euro NCAP: Q5, Jazz, i20, Soul and 3008 Achieve 5-Star Rating, Suzuki Alto gets only 3-Stars

European car safety testing body Euro-NCAP has announced its latest batch of results for six new cars. Five of these models, the Audi Q5, Honda Jazz, Hyundai i20, Kia Soul and Peugeot 3008 received Euro NCAP's maximum five star award while Suzuki's made-in-India Alto scored only three stars, its rating limited by its performance in adult occupant protection, child protection and safety assistance technologies. Euro NCAP made a special note on the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20 as both cars managed to achieve a high score in pedestrian safety.

"We would like to commend the Honda Jazz and the Hyundai i20 for their impressive pedestrian scores that not only meet current requirements, but also meet Euro NCAP's future requirements," Euro NCAP said in a statement.

All six vehicles were tested with Euro NCAP's new overall rating scheme that was introduced in 2009 and covers Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Pedestrian Protection and a new area of assessment, Safety Assist. Under the new testing regime, vehicles are awarded a single overall score from one to five stars with the overall rating being based on the car's performance in each of the four main areas and the scores are weighted with respect to each other.

Peugeot 3008 Crossover Officially Revealed: AWD Hybrid Version to Follow Shortly

While all the spotlights were focused to Detroit and the 2009 North American International Auto Show, on the other side of the Atlantic, Peugeot took the opportunity to quietly unveil the all-new 3008 compact crossover. Take out the fancy-pansy detailing, and not much has changed from last year's Paris Show Prologue Hybrid Concept. That said, the five-seater 3008 is more of a pug than a stud - at least in what concerns its exterior styling.

If you're still wondering what the 3008 is supposed to be, Peugeot officials said that it is positioned "at the crossroads between several existing vehicles like the SUV, the MPV and hatchback." Something like an automotive mixed-grille in other words. The 3008's most closest rival seems to be the Nissan Qashqai crossover, which has proved quite successful in Europe.

Inside, the Pug features a very nicely styled dashboard that looks suspiciously similar in design with the Audi R8. As you'd expect from a French crossover, the 3008's cabin is fairly versatile and it includes an array of storage spaces with a total effective volume of nearly 50 liters. The load area (512lt under the parcel shelf) is accessible through a split tailgate that divides into two parts. Notably, it can be compartmentalized thanks to a floor with a 3-way height adjustment.

Europeans will be able to choose among seven different powetrain options. For 2009, these include: a 110HP 1.6-liter diesel with a 6-speed manual gearbox or an electronically-controlled manual gearbox; a 150HP 2.0-liter diesel with a 6-speed manual gearbox; a 163HP 2.0-liter diesel mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission; a 120HP 1.6-liter petrol engine hooked up to a 5-speed manual gearbox and a 1.6-liter turbocharged petrol unit with 150 or 156HP that's mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox.

Sharing its platform with the Peugeot 308 C-segment hatchback, the 3008 crossover will initially be available exclusively with front-wheel drive. Peugeot does however offer a faux off-road package called "Grip Control" that consists of 16-inch M+S (Mud & Snow) tires and intelligent traction control. According to the French automakers own words, this package "gives the vehicle a genuine ability to overcome difficult situations where the wheels have little grip."

Those searching for an all-wheel drive version will have to wait until the presentation of the Peugeot-Citroen PSA Group's first model to be equipped with HYbrid4 technology. To be launched by 2011 the latest, the 3008 HYbrid4 will combine a traditional engine that powers the front-wheels with an electric motor located under the load area floor near the axle that drives the rear wheels.

Peugeot said that this technology will not only add all-wheel drive capabilities to the model, but it will also reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by around 35%. At the Paris Motor Show, the Prologue HYbrid4 concept car was presented with a 2.0 litre HDi FAP engine with a power of 163HP and an electric motor with a maximum capacity of 27 kW (37HP) for a total power of 200HP and a maximum torque of 300 Nm at the front and 200 Nm at the rear. The fuel consumption of this model in the combined cycle was estimated at being only 4.1 liters/100 km (57.4mpg U.S.), with CO2 emissions of just 109 g/km.