Pug 107 firms on French importer’s wishlist

PEUGEOT’S cute 107 is firming as a potential light car challenger in the Australian market.

The local division’s national sales manager, Ken Thomas, is about to head to France to talk to Peugeot headquarters about the car, which he hopes could sit below the new 207 range that went on sale this month.

“We are quite keen for the car,” he said. “If we had our choice we’d have it tomorrow.”

However, pricing will be a key determinant as Mr Thomas wants to get the car “well under $20,000”.

For now, Peugeot’s only entry car in the light/small car segment will be the entry $19,990 207 XR three-door, which has a 55kW/120Nm 1.4-litre engine.

This car takes over where the $16,990 206 three door left off.

The price point of the 107 will be critical as the lower end of the light car segment is dominated by the Toyota Yaris and Hyundai Getz with 18 other light contenders vying for a slice of the sales pie.

Mr Thomas said a decision on the 107 could be made within two months and Australian production could start in six months, meaning the car could arrive early next year.

“So by the Sydney motor show we may have an announcement,” he said.

Peugeot Automobiles Australia had intended to continue the 1.4-litre 206 as a single entry-model for $16,990 under the new 207 but the closure of the Ryton plant in Coventry in the UK in several months forced a rethink.

Mr Thomas said local buyers would have had to wait six months for right-hand drive entry 1.4-litre 206 production to ramp up in France.

The 206 will continue to be built at Peugeot’s Poissy plant near Paris, alongside the 207 and will continue to be sold in Europe. It is also built in Iran and China.

Mr Thomas said the 107 would potentially be a more popular model, and cheaper, than the two-door 1007, with its electric sliding doors and van-like driving position. The 107 is available in either two-door or five-door variants.

Peugeot co-developed the 107 with Citroen and Toyota, which also market the car as the Citroen C1 and Toyota Aygo, as an inexpensive four-seater hatchback.

All three are built at a new Toyota Peugeot Citroen Automobile Czech joint-venture plant at Kolin, Czech Republic.

It is available in both 50kW/94Nm 1.0-litre and 55kW/130Nm 1.4-litre guises and with a kerb weight around 835kg, the engines are considered potent enough for the wee hatch.

Economy is a strong point, with the 1.0-litre delivering 3.42L/100km.

Other models PAA is looking at include the 4007 off-roader, the joint-venture SUV between Mitsubishi and PSA-Citroen.

Mr Thomas said it was another model on Peugeot’s wishlist “but it is still to be decided”.

However, GoAuto understands the car could be on sale here as early as next year with a 115kW/380Nm 2.2HDi turbo-diesel.