Australian-Bound Peugeot 3008 Wins Prestigious European Award

SYDNEY – October 26, 2009: The 24th Auto Europa 2010 has just been awarded in Florence to the new Peugeot 3008.

The award is the brainchild of the UIGA (Unione Italiana dei Giornalisti dell’Automobile, an association of more than 200 automotive journalists), and is presented annually to one new model launched in Italy for the current year.

For 2010 it was the 3008 that emerged victorious out of the 19 candidates vying for the title.

Strong points acclaimed by the jury include the originality of the 3008 concept, the high level of technology, style and aerodynamics, the quality of vehicle, performance in terms of fuel consumption and emissions, safety, equipment, modularity and value for money.

The Auto Europa award presented for the first time to a crossover vehicle represents, according to UIGA, “recognition of a model that expresses change both in terms of its style and the new expectations it caters for”.

The commercial success of the Peugeot 3008 confirms the interest that it generated before its European launch in the spring of 2009; by mid-October, even before going on sale on the UK market, more than 40,000 orders had been placed in continental Europe, for a full-year target in terms of total sales of 90,000 units.

It is the second time that Peugeot has received the Auto Europa title, with the 207 receiving the honour in 2007.

Unveiled for the first time as the Prologue Hybrid4 concept car at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, the production 3008 will arrive in Australia in the second quarter of 2010.

The new 3008 features a host of impressive technology, from the range of advanced engines to innovative features such as Grip Control, Dynamic Roll Control, head-up display for the driver, Distance Alert, Automatic Electric Parking Brake and Hill Assist.

The exterior and interior style of the 3008 perfectly complements its function, with a truly luxurious, spacious and versatile interior and remarkable (especially for a vehicle with high architecture) aerodynamics with a Cx figure of 0.296.

The impressive aerodynamics are a result of extensive wind tunnel testing and are a vital part of achieving the 3008’s impressive fuel consumption figures; as low as 5.6 litres per 100km combined for the manual 2.0-litre HDi FAP diesel.

This has a knock-on effect for CO2 emissions which are just 146 grams per kilometre on the same version.

The 3008 features a host of active safety features including Head Up Display, Distance Alert, directional headlamps, the excellent rigidity of the structure, high-performancesuspension and electronic aids such as ESP, Grip Control and Dynamic Roll Control.

In terms of passive safety, the body structure is generously dimensioned to withstand even the most severe collisions, such as those tested by EuroNCAP.

Everything is designed in the 3008 to offer an accessible and intelligent load space adaptable to all kinds of leisure activities.

The load area of the 3008 can easily be compartmentalised thanks to a moveable floor with a 3-way height adjustment.

This patented innovation, simple and new to the market, will greatly facilitate the use of the vehicle on a day-to-day basis.

Depending on the configuration of the load space, the 3008 offers a load length of up to 2.62m, a virtually constant width of 1,030 mm and a capacity under the parcel shelf of 512 litres.

When the rear seats are folded, the load area capacity increases to the very considerable volume of 1,604 litres.