Peugeot 208 hatchback has been spotted again in India. The hatchback was snapped at TCS Thoraipakkam parking in Chennai. Earlier, PSA Group registered a fleet of 208s with the Pune RTO. The hatchback has been spotted since French Group announced its plant to enter the Indian market.
PSA Group has already announced to introduce the Citroen nameplate in the Indian market. The Peugeot 208 hatchback won’t be launched in our market. It is expected that the 208 hatchback is being used for component testing.
It is also expected that Citroen could be testing powerrains for the upcoming locally developed sub-4 meter SUV. Codenamed C21, the new compact SUV is reportedly to be launched as the new Citroen C3. It will be launched in the second half of 2021, most probably around September-OCtober 2021.
The Citroen C3 compact SUV is expected to be powered by a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine, which could produce up to 130bhp of power. Transmission choices could include a 5-speed manual or a dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
The new Citroen locally developed products will be based on the simplified version of the CMP (Common Modular Platform), which also underpins the new Peugeot 208. The company could be using the Peugeot 208 to test the modified platform to be used for the new breed of cars for the Indian market.
Citroen will also introduce a new sedan, a new hatchback and a mid-sized SUV based on the new CMP platform in India. These models will be offered in petrol version only. The hatchback will be positioned against the likes of the Maruti Suzuki Swift and the Hyundai Grand i10 Nios.
