Peugeot and the African continent have a long-standing relationship. The Peugeot 404 and 504 have become iconic, conquering the African continent for their strength and durability, both in car and pick-up format. The 504 even became known as the “King of African roads”, with its production having continued across Africa, after the end of the model in Europe. The 504 pick-up only stopped being produced in 2005, in Nigeria.
The French brand is now back on the African continent with a pick-up truck, accelerating its internationalization process. We won't see a Peugeot 508 pickup truck or a reissue of the Hoggar, the small South American pickup truck based on the 207. Instead, Peugeot turned to its Chinese partner, Dongfeng, who already marketed a pickup in the Chinese market – called Rich.
A clear exercise in badge engineering, a new grid and branding, quickly allowed Peugeot to have a proposal to fill this gap in its African portfolio. However, there was room for a nostalgic note, noted in the name Peugeot in generous letters stamped on the rear door, recalling the same solution in the nostalgic 504.
Peugeot Pick Up doesn't seem to be that new
Being little more than a Dongfeng Rich with new symbols, Peugeot inherited a model launched in the distant year of 2006. But the story doesn't end there. Dongfeng Rich is the result of a joint venture between Dongfeng and Nissan, called Zhengzhou Nissan Automobile Co., focused on the production of commercial vehicles. The Chinese pickup, in reality, is nothing more than a version of the first Nissan Navara – D12 generation – launched in 1997.
Thus, the “new” Peugeot Pick Up is effectively a model that is already 20 years old.
Presented for now only with a double cabin, the Pick Up has a common rail diesel engine with a capacity of 2.5 liters, delivering 115 horsepower and 280 Nm of torque.
It will be available in 4×2 and 4×4 versions, with the transmission being carried out through a five-speed manual gearbox. The cargo box is 1.4 m long by 1.39 m wide and holds up to 815 kg.
It may be based on an old model, but current equipment is not lacking, such as a USB port, manual air conditioning, electric windows and mirrors, radio with CD player and rear parking sensors. In the safety chapter, ABS and airbag for driver and passenger are present.
Peugeot Pick Up starts marketing in September.