It all started more than 200 years ago, when Pierre’s family turned the mill into a steelworks. The tradition continues, in addition to recalling fantastic links, it is necessary to manage the advent of new technologies.
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On September 26, exactly 211 years will pass since the founding of one of the world’s oldest cars. The French Peugeot is not one of the largest or most advanced brands in the motoring world, yet all the more successful competitors should pay tribute to it for a history written continuously since 1810.
At the beginning of the 19th century, a story of remarkable success in car production began, often followed by successful use in motorsport. Peugeot’s history is full of pioneering designs, technical breakthroughs, technological innovations and functional solutions. It all started when Pierre’s family from the village of Vandoncourt finished the milling trade. Two sons of Jean-Pierre II. and Jean-Frederic turned the mill into a Peugeot Fréres steel foundry.
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Steel was used in the manufacture of cutting discs, watch springs and light crinoline skirts, which revolutionized 19th century fashion. Peugeot has also established itself in the field of the production of sewing machines and kitchen grinders – aromatic pepper grinding in a first-class way is still one of the prides of the French brand.
The first Peugeot car was created in 1890 under the leadership of Armand Peugeot, who embodied expertise in bicycle design. Armand assembled a light tubular chassis equipped with a two-cylinder Daimler petrol engine, which as a whole could finally be called the introductory car, or the beginning of two centuries of mass production.
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Four years after the completion of the first car, Peugeot dominated the motoring plant, when Armand was convinced of the viability of serial production of vehicles. In 1912, therefore, an open factory was built on the territory of Sochaux. The still prosperous Stellantis Sochaux Plant is one of the main assembly plants in France.
Since 1847, the company has been accompanied by the lion’s emblem. Animal themes appeared in the days of steelmaking, the king of animals symbolized the properties of products: hard and durable teeth, flexible body aka blade and cutting speed similar to the speed of hunting a beast. From 1858, the badge was officially registered exclusively for the services of Peugeot and it took until 1933 until the head of a lion appeared on the bow of a passenger car.
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The appearance of the logo changed over time, in 1998 the paws for the strength and corporate balance of the company were displayed, and within two years the marketing department invented the blue background as the national color. This year we experienced another modernization connected with the past. “The proud lion that has always accompanied Peugeot has to express universal and multicultural forms of identity. It is synonymous with prestige, security and timelessness. Peugeot uses a new logo and a new graphic identity to combine history and modernity, “says the commentary directly from the carmaker.
In addition to the king of the animal kingdom, the three-digit marking of manufactured models is an age-old identification mark. The zero-center principle was introduced in 1929 for version 201. The milestone, or least truck in France, was manufactured in such an efficient way that the Sochaux factory became the most profitable in the world.
Finance returned to innovation and design, and over time the French had the capacity and resources to deliver an elegant design mounted on a soft chassis. Collectors know the magic of real veterans such as 301, 401, 601 or newer tips 204, 304 or 504. In the 80’s and 90’s Peugeot produced a number of great driving configurations known as 309 GTI, 106 Rally, 306 GTI-6 and of course 205 GTI. The latter remains 37 years after the launch of one of the best hatchbacks for conservative drivers full of vigor.
Piece-limited editions or racing specials ensured the winnings of the most famous trophies from series of circuits, through hills to rallies of all categories, including the iconic Dakar. Cups would be difficult to count, because cars with a lion on the bow also scored in design. Not only did the fast, progressive and reliable cars ensure a stable position among the top of the automotive industry, they also won respect for the impressive shapes set by Italian masters. Since 1960, long-term cooperation with Pininfarina has proved to be mutually beneficial. For all successful designs, it is enough to highlight the 406 Coupé perfectly matched inside and out. With a six-cylinder six-liter, it was difficult to find major flaws.
Much time has passed since the ability to sketch a decent coupe powered by a six-cylinder fork, the priorities shifting a few inches above the roads crossed by large boxes. Naturally, the SUV fashion also caught up with Peugeot, which responded with the 3008 model, for example. The model was similarly interested 508 with fastback body.
In the future, it is not possible to ignore revolutionary electromobility or autonomous driving. The French carry out their own development and at the same time try to work with promising partners to maintain the centuries-old character. The elimination of internal combustion engines and human factors will change the automotive world, where Peugeot has a stable position that it does not want to lose.
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