Revamped Argentina Plant Building Peugeot 208

PSA Group says the first series production Peugeot 208 compact hatchback has rolled off its production line in Argentina.

Following major renovations at the El Palomar plant, now seen as one of the most innovative in the group, the car also is the first model released in Latin America to use the CMP (common modular platform), PSA’s most recent and most modern of its global platforms.

The car’s launch in Argentina marks the debut in Latin America of the modular and multi-energy platform dedicated to the production of all compact city cars (B-segment), entry-level and midrange sedans (C-segment) and compact SUVs.

The 208’s special features include a new-generation Peugeot i-Cockpit with a 3D heads-up display.

About 600 employees worked in Latin America and Europe to develop this project.

The 208 went through 930,000 miles (1.5 million km) of test drive in countries across the world, such as Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Austria, Spain, France and Sweden.

The project began in 2016 with a $320 million investment to upgrade the El Palomar production center, transforming it into an "Excellent Plant" on the industrial level according to PSA's rating standards. Some suppliers also were integrated into the plant to enhance efficiency.

Patrice Lucas, PSA’s Latin America president and member of the executive board, says: “This launch marks a new era for Group PSA in Latin America, reaffirming our commitment to the country, to the social partners and to our employees. We are continuing to invest in order to offer our customers a range of increasingly modern and technological products.”