Got some long journeys planned? You could do worse than jump into a Peugeot 208 diesel. The new model, available from June 2015 from Richard Hardie showrooms across the north-east of England, has just recorded an independently verified 141mpg average on a 1,337-mile drive.
Drivers took turns to take on three- and four-hour stints in an exercise overseen by the French Type Approval Authority (UTAC). The car was a Euro 6-compliant, five-speed, 1.6 BlueHDI diesel model tested at the Belchamp circuit in France.
Peugeot said that the tested 208 came with completely standard production spec. Driven for 38 hours, the BlueHDi went through 43 litres (9.45 gallons) of diesel, setting a record for long-distance fuel-consumption for a standard production car.
Ultra-low rolling resistance tyres and a new spoiler helped the petrol station-defying performance. As well as being a fuel-sipper, the car offers CO2 emissions of just 79g/km.
The BlueHDI is the result of a laser-like focus by PSA Peugeot-Citroën Group’s on the environment. The manufacturer claims Europe’s leading position on CO2 emissions across its range, as well as exceedingly low particulate emissions.
You’ll by now no doubt be desperate to make rude gestures at petrol stations, but you’ll need to be a little patient. The facelifted Peugeot 208 won’t hit UK showrooms until this autumn. Until then, you can start to salivate over the rest of the car’s great spec.
Stop/start is standard on all diesel models except the base 75bhp version. That model and the 100bhp BlueHDI diesel will also give you 79g/km of CO2 and an official 94.1mpg – but, obviously, that figure’s for wimps, as our French friends have proved.
Peugeot fell one place to third in BusinessCar's yearly analysis of the UK’s leading manufacturers by eco credentials. Perhaps the new revelations will shake up next year’s figures.
Peugeot is serious about the environment. It’s aiming to reduce its CO2 emissions quickly by fast-tracking the introduction of three-cylinder PureTech petrol and BlueHDi Diesel engines. These units, plus the new 1.6 litre THP engines and EAT6 automatic, make five PureTech, three 1.6-litre THP and 12 BlueHDi class-leading models.
Peugeot buyers in the north-east of England can test drive the new Peugeot 208 1.6 BlueHDI diesel model at Richard Hardie showrooms in the autumn.
