The Peugeot numbering finally explained!
The Peugeot numbering finally explained!
Some urban legends remain and persist! Here is finally the explanation on the why and how of the Peugeot numbering!
Models are defined by three digits with a central zero. Some believe that Peugeot originally used it to form a hole so that the crank could be inserted and the engine started. It’s wrong ! Hervé Charpentier, the curator of the L’Aventure Peugeot museum, explains where this legend comes from and corrects certain beliefs.
It all starts with the Peugeot 201, which would be the brand’s 201st project.
From then on, in the spirit of the brand, the idea of being able to categorize the different vehicles was born. The Peugeot numbering will be defined around three digits which revolves around a central zero.
The first number represents the size of the car… Indeed, a 201 is smaller than a 301, which itself is smaller than a 401, which itself is smaller than the 601, flagship of the brand.
The last number represents the generation. The 201 is the first generation of size 2 cars! Today, the brand sells 208…
In other words the eighth generation of these same vehicles… In other words the 201 is the rear rear rear rear rear rear grandmother of the 208.
The central zero has never been a hole for the passage of the crank to the creation of this numbering! Originally, this central zero serves as an alliance or link between the size of the car and its generation.
The crank hole urban legend actually comes from Generation 2! At that time, the ever more picky Peugeot style wanted to get rid of the horrible crank hole at the bottom of the grille and the mask behind the numbering…
