1980 Peugeot 205 Gti 1.9 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Peugeot reveals new Chinese-market 408 at Beijing Motor Show

Peugeot might not market in the United States - although according to our compatriots at Edmunds, that may be about to change - but don't think that it doesn't export out of Europe. In fact, together with its Citroën subsidiary, Peugeot SA is among the top ten automakers in the world. China is one of its most vital markets, one where it consistently turns a profit. And reflecting the importance of the Chinese market, Peugeot has rolled in to the Beijing Motor Show with several new debuts.
Aside from launching the new 2008 crossover and RCZ R in China for the first time - to say nothing of the new Citroëns debuting at the same show - Peugeot has created the Exalt concept sedan for the Beijing expo and also revealed its new 408 sedan. Slotting, as you might have guessed, in between the 308 hatchback and the 508 flagship, the 408 is a C-segment sedan designed specifically for the Chinese market but will, like its predecessor, likely find its way into other developing markets like Russia and South America in the near future as well.
Built as part of a joint venture with DongFeng, the new 408 rides on a 107-inch wheelbase to make it marginally longer than the model it replaces. Power comes from a 1.6-liter turbo four with direct injection and stop/start ignition, full LED headlamps, automatic parking system, blind-spot detection and more. It also moves the lion badge from the hood onto the grille, marking what could be a new trend for the French brand. Designed as the first car for a 30-year-old urban dweller, the new 408 promises to give Peugeot an even bigger slice of a pie that's estimated at 1.4 million vehicles strong each year. Read more in the press release below.

Peugeot reveals Beijing-bound Exalt concept in full

The other day we brought you the first image and initial details of Peugeot's new concept car. Now the French automaker has presented the show car in full, revealing an innovative take on the automobile using a variety of unusual materials.
Picking up where the show-stopping Onyx concept left off two years ago, the Exalt concept adopts a similar approach, but applied to a four-door form. The elegantly muscular body stretches almost 15 and a half feet (4.7 meters) long but just 51 inches (1.31 meters) high, riding square on 20-inch wheels. But it's what that bodywork is made of that sets it apart. The bare metal panels that form most of the vehicle's surface are beaten into shape by hand just as they once were, while the back portion is covered in a unique sharkskin-like textile.
Inside it's all bare metal with aged leather trim that's clamped (not cut), with surfaces covered in a wool-based woven material, offset by ebony wood trim, basalt fiber (that's said to be more environmentally friendly than carbon) and 3D-printed inserts that hide the speakers. Everything's controlled by programmable toggle switches, and there's even an air filtration system that disinfects the cabin's surfaces when the vehicle is stationary and unoccupied.

Stellantis announces ‘Circular Economy’ business to drive revenue, decarbonization

Stellantis has already announced its plans to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2038. Today, the automaker has announced a new business unit to help it reach that goal while generating 2 billion euros per year in revenue by 2030. The “Circular Economy” business will help make revenue less dependent on finite, rare and ecologically problematic materials. The Circular Economy model features what Stellantis calls a “4R” strategy, comprising remanufacturing, repair, reuse and recycling. The goal is to make materials last as long as they can, reducing reliance on the acquisition of those precious new materials in the future by returning them to the business loop when theyÂ’ve reached the end of their first life. Through these processes, Stellantis says it can save up to 80% raw material and 50% energy compared to manufacturing a new part. Remanufacturing, or “reman” in Stellantis shorthand, means dismantling, cleaning and rebuilding parts to OEM spec. Nearly 12,000 remanufactured parts are available for customers to purchase. Some remanufacturing is done in-house, and some with partners and through joint ventures. Repair is pretty obvious — fixing parts to put back into vehicles. This also consists of reconditioning, to make a vehicle feel like new. Stellantis boasts 21 “e-repair” centers for repairing electric vehicle batteries.  Reuse refers to parts still in good condition from end-of-life vehicles sold as-is. Stellantis says it has 4.5 million multi-brand parts in inventory. These are sold in 155 countries through the B-Parts e-commerce platform. Reuse also refers second-life options, such as using batteries outside of automotive purposes. Recycling involves dismantling parts and scraps back into raw material form that is then looped back into the manufacturing process. Stellantis says it has collected 1 million parts for recycling in the past six months. Recycling doesnÂ’t get counted in that aforementioned 2 billion euros of revenue, but it does save the company money on acquisition of raw materials. As for batteries, specifically, Stellantis expects this recycling business to ramp up after 2030, when the packs currently in service begin to reach the end of their lifecycle. Stellantis will use its new “SUSTAINera” label to denote parts that are offered as part of its Circular Economy business.