Peugeot 201

Peugeot 201

Manufacturer	Peugeot SA
Production	1929-1937 142,309 units
Predecessor	Peugeot Type 190
Successor	Peugeot 202
Body style	4-door saloon other bodies available
Layout	FR layout
Engine	1085 cc - 1465cc straight four
Wheelbase	247 cm (97.2 in)
Length	3,800 mm (149.6 in)
Width	1,350 mm (53.1 in)
Curb weight	890 kg (1,962 lb)

The Peugeot 201 is a car that Peugeot produced between 1929 and 1937.

The car was built at the company's Sochaux plant near the Swiss frontier, and is today celebrated in the adjacent Peugeot museum. Although Peugeot had participated in the auto business since the early 1890s, it is reasonable to see the 201 as the company's first volume model.^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Models 3 The name game 4 Sources

History

The 201 was presented at the 1929 Paris Motor Show as the Wall Street Crash burst upon the world. Many European manufacturers would not survive the shock waves emanating from New York, but the compact no-nonsense 201 would match the mood of the moment, enabling Peugeot to survive the economic crisis with its finances intact and its status as a major league auto producer established.

Models

During the 1930s Peugeot offered several variants of the 201, and the engine capacity grew.

Initially, it was powered by a 1122 cc engine developing 23 horsepower (17 kW) at 3500 rpm (top speed: 80 km/h / 50 mph). There followed an engine of 1307 cc, and finally a 1465 cc unit of 35 hp (26 kW).

The 201C launched in 1931 is claimed as the first volume produced car equipped with independent front suspension, a concept rapidly adopted by the competition. The simpler beam front axle version continued available, but the independent system reportedly improved road holding and reduced steering column vibration.

The name game

The 201 was the first Peugeot to carry a name comprising three numerals with a central zero. Peugeot took effective steps to protect all such automobile names, to the discomfiture of Porsche in the 1960s as they prepared to launch their iconic new 901 model. Curiously, having a Ferrari 308 was not a problem.

Sources

• Auto passion, nbr 37, juillet 1990
• Rétro hebdo, nbr 28, septembre 1997
• Rétroviseur ISBN 0992-5007, nbr 58

This article incorporates information from the revision as of 2007-03-08 of the equivalent article on the French Wikipedia.

Type	1880s	1890s										1900s										1910s										1920s										1930s										1940s
	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4
Supermini	1	2	3 / 4			5 / 6/7 / 8				21 / 24 / 30 / 31				37	54	57	69 "Bébé"								B P1/ B3/P1 "Bébé"¹								161/172 "Quadrilette"				5CV			190
											26 / 27 / 28				48							126																			201									202
Small family car									14 / 15 / 25						56	58	68	VA/VC/VY¹				V2C/V2Y¹			VD/VD2¹						159	163												301				302
													33 / 36			63			99	108	118	125													173 / 177/ 181/ 183
Family car						9 / 10 / 11 / 12				16 / 17 / 19 / 32				49/50		65/67	77	78	88			127		143		153						153 B/BR					176									401		402
								18						39		61	71	81	96	106	116	126	138												175
Large family car										23					42/43/44	62	72	82	92	104	112/117/ 122/130/134		139		145/146/148										174 / 184											601
																66	76	83	93				135									156
Executive car																		80	103		113		141			147/150
																		85	95	105
Cabriolet / Spider																		91		101/120		133 / 111/129/131	136			144
Panel van							13			22			34/35
Minibus									20 / 29											107
1: These cars were marketed as "Lion-Peugeots", produced by what was till 1910 a separate Peugeot company, run by cousins of Armand Peugeot, then in charge of the principal automobile business. In 1910, Armand having no sons of his own, it was agreed that the two branches of the Peugeot business be reunited.