Peugeot 301 (2012)

Peugeot 301
Overview
Manufacturer	Peugeot
Also called	Citroën C-Elysée
Production	2012–
Assembly	Vigo, Spain Kaduna, Nigeria[1]
Body and chassis
Class	Compact car
Body style	4-door saloon
Layout	Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout
Platform	PSA PF1 platform
Related	Peugeot 207 Peugeot 208 Citroën C3 (2009) Citroën DS3
Powertrain
Transmission	5-speed manual 4-speed automatic[2]
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,655 mm (104.5 in)
Length	4,442 mm (174.9 in)
Width	1,748 mm (68.8 in)
Height	1,446 mm (56.9 in)
Kerb weight	1,055–1,165 kg (2,326–2,568 lb)

The Peugeot 301 is a compact car, produced by the French automaker Peugeot. It was announced to the public in May 2012, with an official launch that took place at the Paris Motor Show in September. The 301 is built at Peugeot’s Vigo plant in Spain, alongside its twin Citroën C-Elysée, and is scheduled to also be manufactured in China in late 2013 and Nigeria in 2014.^[3]

Sales of the 301 commenced in November 2012, initially in Turkey and later in other markets in western Asia, Africa and eastern Europe. As the 301 is designed specifically for emerging markets,^[4] the 301 will not be available in western Europe, including France^[5] and the United Kingdom (similar situation in Ireland as well as most RHD markets).^[6]

Specification

Rear view of 301 (Turkey)

The 301 is 4,440 mm (174.8 in) in length, with a 2,650 mm (104.3 in) wheelbase.

It is powered a range of three engines: a three-cylinder 1.2-litre VTi petrol engine shared with the Peugeot 208, producing 72 bhp (54 kW; 73 PS) and available with a manual or automated manual gearbox; a 1.6 VTi petrol with 115 bhp (86 kW; 117 PS). and a 1.6 HDi diesel with 92 bhp (69 kW; 93 PS) mated only to a manual gearbox.^[7]

Name

The model's 301 name was first used on a 1932 Peugeot 301, and the new 301 is the first Peugeot to start the revised naming strategy of using x01 and x08 to denote emerging market models and traditional market models.^[8]

2013 Citroen C-Elysée

Citroën C-Elysée

A similar model to the 301, badged as a Citroën C-Elysée, was also launched at the Paris Motor Show in 2012, with sales targeted in the first instance in eastern Europe and North Africa. The C-Elysée is also sold in Spain, Portugal and Greece. From 2014, it is anticipated that the C-Elysée will be produced in China, as a successor to the current Chinese market Citroën Elysée, by the joint venture company Dongfeng Peugeot-Citroën Automobile.^[9]

The C-Elysée shares its dimensions with the 301, and is available with 1.2 VTi 72 hp, 1.6VTi 115 hp and 1.6HDi 90 hp engines, maters to 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmissions.

Citroën-Total Citroën C-Elysée WTCC

Citroën C-Elysée WTCC

In 2013, Citroën Racing created a new sub-division, the Citroën World Touring Car Team, in order to begin to run in addition in the 2014 World Touring Car Championship. The name Citroën C-Elysée WTCC has been chosen for the race car running in this world competition. It was developed in a few months, thanks to the experience of the Citroën World Rally Team.^[10]

The Citroën World Touring Car Team won fourteen victories out of the fifteen first races of the 2014 WTCC season, in spite of the handicap of the 60 kg Compensation Weight put to the leading cars. The Citroën/Total WTCC Team won the Manufacturer's WTCC Championship,^[11] 5 races before the end of the season, after the 2014 Shanghai first race, where Citroën recorded a magnificent one-two-three-four. The Citroën World Touring Car Team pilots also got the three first ranks of the Drivers' World Touring Car Championship.

Sales and production

301

C-Elysée

References

External links

• Official website