Peugeot believes that its 2008 has the right ingredients to become the best selling B segment crossover, certainly outselling Renault Captur and taking customers away from Nissan Juke.
The 2008 goes on sale in Europe from May 16 and arrives in the UK by mid-July, priced from £12,995 to around £19,000.
All 2008s for Europe will be built in Mulhouse, Peugeot's industrial heartland in eastern France, which has the capacity to build 100,000 a year. It will also be built in China and Brazil from 2015, each at around 50,000 a year; 67 per cent of the components used on 2008 are carried over from 208.
Globally Peugeot will be building 650,000 208 and 2008 models a year, described by Marc Bocqué, marketing communications manager, as "a significant number."
While the B segment is dominated by hatchbacks with an 80 per cent share, their popularity is beginning to wane with the emergence of MPVs and SUVs; estate cars account for about five per cent of the sector total.
The appeal of crossovers like 2008 and Captur is that they give the impression of being in a higher segment and most buyers will be existing B segment customers, according to Peugeot.
Renault has gone down the personalization route with Captur while Peugeot has concentrated on "style and quality," said Bocqué - adding "it will be a battle between us and Renault for sector leadership."
For the UK, the target is 8,000 annual sales, taking total 208/2008 sales to some 50,000 a year. The 2008's versatility is expected to appeal to business users with a prediction that more than 40 per cent of sales will be to fleet users - the 207SW was predominantly sold to businesses with less than 30 per cent bought privately.
The 2008 will also have a major role in attracting new buyers to the Peugeot brand with the UK forecasting that 65 per cent of 2008 buyers will be buying a Peugeot for the first time.
The UK range will start with a choice of 1.2-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engine and 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre diesel engines with the best-seller predicted to be the 92bhp 1.6-litre diesel.
There will be four trim levels, Access+, Active, Allure and Feline with ""˜grip control' available on all Feline models and Allure models with 1.6-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel engines.
Grip control combines slightly increased ground clearance with ""˜mud and snow' tyres and a traction control system which operates in snow, all-terrain and sand modes to limit skidding and provide maximum torque to the wheel with most grip.

The 2008 goes on sale in Europe from May 16 and arrives in the UK by mid-July, priced from £12,995 to around £19,000.
All 2008s for Europe will be built in Mulhouse, Peugeot's industrial heartland in eastern France, which has the capacity to build 100,000 a year. It will also be built in China and Brazil from 2015, each at around 50,000 a year; 67 per cent of the components used on 2008 are carried over from 208.
Globally Peugeot will be building 650,000 208 and 2008 models a year, described by Marc Bocqué, marketing communications manager, as "a significant number."
While the B segment is dominated by hatchbacks with an 80 per cent share, their popularity is beginning to wane with the emergence of MPVs and SUVs; estate cars account for about five per cent of the sector total.
The appeal of crossovers like 2008 and Captur is that they give the impression of being in a higher segment and most buyers will be existing B segment customers, according to Peugeot.
Renault has gone down the personalization route with Captur while Peugeot has concentrated on "style and quality," said Bocqué - adding "it will be a battle between us and Renault for sector leadership."
For the UK, the target is 8,000 annual sales, taking total 208/2008 sales to some 50,000 a year. The 2008's versatility is expected to appeal to business users with a prediction that more than 40 per cent of sales will be to fleet users - the 207SW was predominantly sold to businesses with less than 30 per cent bought privately.
The 2008 will also have a major role in attracting new buyers to the Peugeot brand with the UK forecasting that 65 per cent of 2008 buyers will be buying a Peugeot for the first time.
The UK range will start with a choice of 1.2-litre and 1.6-litre petrol engine and 1.4-litre and 1.6-litre diesel engines with the best-seller predicted to be the 92bhp 1.6-litre diesel.
There will be four trim levels, Access+, Active, Allure and Feline with ""˜grip control' available on all Feline models and Allure models with 1.6-litre petrol and 1.6-litre diesel engines.
Grip control combines slightly increased ground clearance with ""˜mud and snow' tyres and a traction control system which operates in snow, all-terrain and sand modes to limit skidding and provide maximum torque to the wheel with most grip.