Dear Peugeot product development people,
I assume someone from Peugeot reads this forum so here it goes. BTW, I’m sorry this is not in French. Recently I was surprised with the news that Peugeot was speeding up the process of replacement for the 307, and that factories were preparing people for a 2007 market introduction. Well, the 307 was presented in 2001 so that means a product-cycle of 6 years. Very short, for Peugeot standards! I remember back in 2000 I was expecting the successor of the 306 that was in the market for ages. I didn’t bother to wait more so a VW Golf was purchased at the time. In the end I was also happy because the van-like looks of the 307 didn’t please me when it eventually arrived.
I suspect that part of the reason for speeding the replacement of the 307 is related with the feel at Peugeot that they can make it to the top in this class of vehicles. Certainly the Golf V made competitors realize that beating the old favorite was possible. Arguably the Focus II is already a superior car, but besides the engineering, some good classy design is needed, some “Frenchness” must be added to the equation, hence the window of opportunity for Peugeot to hit VW where it hurts more. Also Peugeot couldn’t keep those 8 year life cycles forever, right? Things in the car business work must faster these days! So if I’m allowed, I would like to give some advices on how the 308 should be to become the leader.
DESIGN/ARCHITECTURE
- most important thing: proportions. Make it lower and wider, more muscular and aggressive. Add some “fatness” in the back, increase the metal/glass ratio in the profile. The shops in this post are looking good.
- keep the SW version with the increased wheelbase. More space in the SW, more compact looks in the 3 and 5 door versions.
- Please oh please, try not to increase the front-overhang. I hope that other technologies can be used to overcome pedestrian safety regulations, something like the active bonnet as in the C6 perhaps? Also, I can understand a bigger overhang in a VW Golf for example, that has to fit a V6 in the top-version, and 4x4 versions across the range. But, since I don’t expect those things in the 308, there is no excuse: please keep the overhang short!
DESIGN/DETAILING
- most important: CHANGE THE AWFULL DOORS! You know, that shitty door system on the 206, 307, 407(!!), new 207… Those things look cheap and sound bad when they close. Please use doors like in such cheap cars as the Fiesta or the Polo (not to mention Mégane II, Golf V, Focus II, Audi A3,A4, etc, BMWs etc. etc.). If they are used in Polos and Fiestas then it cannot be that more expensive, right? Use that system, throw in some fat rubber sealing in the door and make sure that they sound good when closed.
- Seek inspiration for the front lights in the 107. Make a wider 3rd stop-light. Use fog lights as in the 407. Be careful on how you put the side mirrors in the door. Make the wheels fill the wheel arches well. Make the B-pillar like in the Focus I.
- Aluminium bonnet + plastic front fenders + steel doors = panel fitting nihtmare. This is the 307 today. Keep it simple so that you can make it with smaller, more even panel gaps and increase perceived quality.
INTERIOR
- keep the leather in the top of the dash. With more colors, not just brown/red. Black too. And add the option of alcantara ceiling. Use less silver/wood detailing, or better, use it differently so that you can have the option of make it from real aluminium/wood. Instead of big, intricate central pieces like in the 307 seek inspiration in the 407. You can make more money if customers choose costly options such as the following: black leather seats + black leather in top of dash and doors + alcantara lining + brushed real aluminium insertions.
- Keep it simple. Simple but with exquisite materials (at least in option). Frequently the problem with French manufacturers is that they change everything for a new model. They (you) get all excited with new concepts but in the end, with time and budget constraints, things end up looking rushed and quality suffers. Make it just an evolution so that it is easy to improve the perceived quality.
- The luggage space trick: forget the spare wheel. You have two options. One is to sell the car with a tire sealing/fixing kit and no spare. That is the Golf V trick. The other is to use runflat tires. This is the BMW 1 series trick, a better quality, safer one, but more expensive.
TECHNOLOGY/ENGINES
- Please bring back the GTI. It is absurd the management that Peugeot made of their GTI heritage. From absolute leader with the 205GTI, 309GTI, 306GTI to the current state. Shame on you Peugeot! You need 200+ horsepower from turbocharged 2.0 engine, and as soon as possible.
- I assume diesels are well established, but a 2.2, 4 cilynder with around 180hp would be nice.
- Whatever your magic with suspensions is, keep it that way. It’s wonderfull! But, do you remember the “happy-back” of the old 306? Add more of that. It can be dangerous for more inexperienced drivers but since probably ESP will be standard equipment there is no problem with it.
This one is very nice, almost perfect:
This one is nice, except for the doors!
I assume someone from Peugeot reads this forum so here it goes. BTW, I’m sorry this is not in French. Recently I was surprised with the news that Peugeot was speeding up the process of replacement for the 307, and that factories were preparing people for a 2007 market introduction. Well, the 307 was presented in 2001 so that means a product-cycle of 6 years. Very short, for Peugeot standards! I remember back in 2000 I was expecting the successor of the 306 that was in the market for ages. I didn’t bother to wait more so a VW Golf was purchased at the time. In the end I was also happy because the van-like looks of the 307 didn’t please me when it eventually arrived.
I suspect that part of the reason for speeding the replacement of the 307 is related with the feel at Peugeot that they can make it to the top in this class of vehicles. Certainly the Golf V made competitors realize that beating the old favorite was possible. Arguably the Focus II is already a superior car, but besides the engineering, some good classy design is needed, some “Frenchness” must be added to the equation, hence the window of opportunity for Peugeot to hit VW where it hurts more. Also Peugeot couldn’t keep those 8 year life cycles forever, right? Things in the car business work must faster these days! So if I’m allowed, I would like to give some advices on how the 308 should be to become the leader.
DESIGN/ARCHITECTURE
- most important thing: proportions. Make it lower and wider, more muscular and aggressive. Add some “fatness” in the back, increase the metal/glass ratio in the profile. The shops in this post are looking good.
- keep the SW version with the increased wheelbase. More space in the SW, more compact looks in the 3 and 5 door versions.
- Please oh please, try not to increase the front-overhang. I hope that other technologies can be used to overcome pedestrian safety regulations, something like the active bonnet as in the C6 perhaps? Also, I can understand a bigger overhang in a VW Golf for example, that has to fit a V6 in the top-version, and 4x4 versions across the range. But, since I don’t expect those things in the 308, there is no excuse: please keep the overhang short!
DESIGN/DETAILING
- most important: CHANGE THE AWFULL DOORS! You know, that shitty door system on the 206, 307, 407(!!), new 207… Those things look cheap and sound bad when they close. Please use doors like in such cheap cars as the Fiesta or the Polo (not to mention Mégane II, Golf V, Focus II, Audi A3,A4, etc, BMWs etc. etc.). If they are used in Polos and Fiestas then it cannot be that more expensive, right? Use that system, throw in some fat rubber sealing in the door and make sure that they sound good when closed.
- Seek inspiration for the front lights in the 107. Make a wider 3rd stop-light. Use fog lights as in the 407. Be careful on how you put the side mirrors in the door. Make the wheels fill the wheel arches well. Make the B-pillar like in the Focus I.
- Aluminium bonnet + plastic front fenders + steel doors = panel fitting nihtmare. This is the 307 today. Keep it simple so that you can make it with smaller, more even panel gaps and increase perceived quality.
INTERIOR
- keep the leather in the top of the dash. With more colors, not just brown/red. Black too. And add the option of alcantara ceiling. Use less silver/wood detailing, or better, use it differently so that you can have the option of make it from real aluminium/wood. Instead of big, intricate central pieces like in the 307 seek inspiration in the 407. You can make more money if customers choose costly options such as the following: black leather seats + black leather in top of dash and doors + alcantara lining + brushed real aluminium insertions.
- Keep it simple. Simple but with exquisite materials (at least in option). Frequently the problem with French manufacturers is that they change everything for a new model. They (you) get all excited with new concepts but in the end, with time and budget constraints, things end up looking rushed and quality suffers. Make it just an evolution so that it is easy to improve the perceived quality.
- The luggage space trick: forget the spare wheel. You have two options. One is to sell the car with a tire sealing/fixing kit and no spare. That is the Golf V trick. The other is to use runflat tires. This is the BMW 1 series trick, a better quality, safer one, but more expensive.
TECHNOLOGY/ENGINES
- Please bring back the GTI. It is absurd the management that Peugeot made of their GTI heritage. From absolute leader with the 205GTI, 309GTI, 306GTI to the current state. Shame on you Peugeot! You need 200+ horsepower from turbocharged 2.0 engine, and as soon as possible.
- I assume diesels are well established, but a 2.2, 4 cilynder with around 180hp would be nice.
- Whatever your magic with suspensions is, keep it that way. It’s wonderfull! But, do you remember the “happy-back” of the old 306? Add more of that. It can be dangerous for more inexperienced drivers but since probably ESP will be standard equipment there is no problem with it.
This one is very nice, almost perfect:
This one is nice, except for the doors!
