prices, versions and equipment of the new Argentine-made SUV

Peugeot officially presented the nuevo 2008, model whose manufacturing officially started a month ago at the brand’s plant in El Palomar, province of Buenos Aires, where the renewed 208 is also produced.

Previously, the French brand had announced the entry-level price of the range, which positioned it at 31.200.000 pesosnecessary to generate the first clients who take the savings plan route. That value still holds for this release.

This is probably the launch of the year, in a national industry that seeks to recover ground and that a few days ago had the presentation of the new Volkswagen Amarok pickup, also manufactured nationally.

One of the keys to the arrival of manufacturing of the new 2008 to Argentina has to do precisely with the platform that was installed in the Peugeot plant to start producing the 208, in mid-2020.

The range of this new SUV will be made up of three versions, all with the same engine: a 1.0-liter turbo with 120 horsepower (from Fiat) and associated with a CVT automatic transmission.

The story of 2008 began to take shape a long time ago. To be more specific we would have to go back to 2016. At that time, when the Stellantis group did not even remotely exist, Peugeot confirmed an investment of 320 million dollars in its El Palomar plant to install the CMP platform on which it would build the 208.

Automotive manufacturing processes have been simplified thanks to the use of “platforms” that solve and make more efficient the production of several models on the same basis. That is, different vehicles that share the same origin can be built on this platform.

So, that advertisement from the French brand for installing a new platform was more important for its future as a national manufacturer than the news of the arrival of the 208, something that happened in 2020 and which today is among the best sellers on the market. In fact, an imminent renewal of this compact is expected to accompany the style shown by the new 2008.

To carry out this new project, an extra investment was required, which in this case was 270 million dollars. The thing is that the new SUV, like almost all the projects that arrive in the country, has the focus on export.

The previous 2008 version that arrived in Argentina came from the brand’s plant in Porto Real, Brazil, where manufacturing of this model was discontinued at the beginning of this year. From now on, the most important market in South America will receive the new generation of this SUV from the El Palomar factory.

More than 400 technicians and engineers worked to adapt the new model, More than 950,000 kilometers were traveled and more than 500 vehicles were used in tests and quality audits. Several of them were seen on Argentine routes in full testing. In total, more than 1,500 trials were carried out, some of them in Europe, the USA and Brazil.

For the 2008 manufacturing in Argentina, an adaptation of the plant was carried out that involved work on the development of matrices so that all the necessary parts of the new model can be stamped and incorporate them into the CMP platform.

The painting process was also improved with new technologies, to be able to paint two-tone bodies, something that will be characteristic of the new vehicle. And in the Assembly area, the main novelty is the incorporation of the glass roof opening for the new model, unlike what happens with the production of the 208, which is fixed.

It is important to mention that other improvements were also made that were carried out with national and regional suppliers, such as the bumpers, seats, carpets, interior plastics and a large number of parts that collaborate to achieve a level of 40% national integrationaccording to what was reported by the brand.

The second generation of the 2008 appeared in 2019 in Europe and last year received an update in that market. That is the figure that the national production model has.

If you compare it with the first version, which did not reach our market, the difference that jumps quickly is in the daytime running lightssince those fang-shaped LEDs were left aside, one on each side of the trunk, and replaced by groups of lights that simulate the mark of a claw.

In turn, it will be, along with the renewed 208, the first Peugeot produced in America to incorporate the brand’s new logo, which is somewhat reminiscent of the shield worn by models from the 60s and 70s.

Visually, 2008 impresses with its modernity and avant-garde. Even its lines make it look like a larger vehicle than it really is. deserves special mention the design of your alloy wheelswhich seem to come from the emblem of Spiderman.

The engine it will have represents an industrial novelty since it will be the first vehicle under the Stellantis umbrella to have a propeller originating from another brand.

This is Fiat’s T200 gasoline engine, with Multiair technology and direct fuel injection, with 1.0 liter displacement and supercharged by turbo. It offers 120 horsepower and 200 Nm of torque, available from 1,750 rpm. The company talks about a declared consumption of almost 18 km/l on the road and 11.4 km/h in the city.

It is associated with a CVT automatic transmission (with continuously variable ratios) that in manual mode offers seven gears and has a Sport mode. It is the same combination that Fiat uses in the top-of-the-range version of the Pulse.

Inside, it maintains the i-Cockpit concept, with a rather small, almost hexagonal steering wheel and a digital dashboard which can be seen above the steering wheel rim. The center console is very similar to the one that debuted with the 208, with a driver-oriented multimedia center and several physical commands that help manage some functions more intuitively.

The range starts with the version Activewhich includes front and front side airbags, hill start assist, rear view camera with parking sensors and tire pressure monitoring, among the most notable safety elements.

It also includes a 10″ touch screen, wireless connectivity with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital instrument panel, automatic climate control, and front and rear headlights with LED technology.

As of version Allure The curtain airbags and the entire driving assistance package are added, which includes autonomous emergency braking, lane maintenance assistant, recommended rest indicator, collision risk alert and blind spot radars.

It also adds a 360 view camera, hands-free entry and start key, wireless phone charger, and electric folding rearview mirrors.

The variant GTthe most equipped in the range, adds two-tone bodywork, panoramic sliding roof, paddles on the steering wheel, Full LED lighting and leather upholstery.

-2008 Active: $ 31.200.000

-2008 Allure: $ 33.000.000