Japanese cars outshadowed the rivals during the late 1960s and early 70s in Pakistan due to a number of reasons such as their relatively cheaper price, simple & robust engineering, reliability, ease of maintenance, smaller & practical dimensions and low fuel consumption. Before that, European and American cars were seen in good numbers on our roads with names such as Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge, Vauxhall, Fiat, Volkswagen, Renault, Opel, Morris, Skoda as well as Peugeot being a common sight.
Though most of these cars can just be found in history books as far as our market is concerned, one of them is set to make a comeback– and its none other than Peugeot. Lucky Motor Corporation (LMC) is on the verge of formally launching Peugeot cars in Pakistan, with the official Peugeot Pakistan website going live along with company’s presence on social media channels including Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
Peugeot 2008 will be the first product to go on sale in Pakistan followed by 3008 and 5008 crossover SUVs as per the website. Whereas according to the company, the opportunity to partner with Stellantis (Peugeot being part of the group) is a strategic leap for LMC which could foster future partnerships with other brands of the group such as Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Citroen, Opel, Vauxhall etc.
Back in the days of old, Peugeot hatchbacks, sedans and station wagons were seen on our roads before they faded away in the 70s. Then during the 1980s, Peugeot 205 hatchback appeared here as CBU import. It was seen in very limited numbers & was never able to cut the mustard in presence of Japanese rivals such as Daihatsu Charade, Toyota Starlet and Suzuki Swift MK-I.
Some Peugeot cars in Pakistan
Later in the early 90s, Peugeot cars reappeared as Taxis under the Yellow Cab scheme. Both 205 hatchback and 309 sedan were available as Yellow Cabs but like most of the cars of that scheme, went under the private usage after a short span of time. Though these Peugeot cars again got vanished from the roads in just a few years due to the fact that both 205 and 309 were powered by diesel engines, there was issue of lack of available spares while the local mechanics were unable to cope up with European diesel cars in presence of tried & tested petrol-driven Japanese ones.
Related: Lucky Motors Set to Assemble Vehicles of Two Entirely Different Brands Under One Roof
However this time around Peuegot cars will be making their strongest entry in Pakistan backed by a financially powerful group, and considering the fact that LMC has been handling Kia exceptionally well, one can expect similar results for Peugeot cars in Pakistan. According to CEO of LMC, Mr Asif Rizvi:
“European vehicles have their own unique style and technology, which is a good addition to the automotive landscape of the country. The true gainers will be consumers who have been without much choice for a long time”
So far all three vehicles displayed on the Peugeot Pakistan website are crossovers. Whether LMC will introduce more Peugeot cars including the hatchbacks and sedans in our country, we will have to wait to find out. On papers the current (global) range of Peugeot cars is certainly impressive and from the looks of it, holds a decent chance to make its presence felt in our market. So are you ready to welcome Peugeot cars? Let us know with your comments.
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A computer animation professional with over 23 years of industry experience having served in leading organizations, TV channels & production facilities in Pakistan. An avid car enthusiast and petrolhead with an affection to deliver quality content to help shape opinions. Formerly written for PakWheels as well as major publications including Dawn. Founder of CarSpiritPK.com
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