The mid-year arrival of the eagerly-awaited new 208 saw the strongest order-take for a launch car in the Company’s history, and this has meant sales of small cars (107, 207 and 208) accounted for over 53,000 units, up 11.2% on 2011.

Another sales success for Peugeot in 2012 was with Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs), with updated versions of the Partner and Expert vans, sales of Peugeot LCVs totalled 21,631, up 9.9% in a market down 7.2% in 2012 – a record year for Peugeot LCV sales in the UK.

The first full year for sales of 508 Saloon and 508 SW helped Fleet Sales grow by 7.4%, in a market that remained static.

Neil Moscrop, Sales director at Peugeot UK, said: ‘While 2012 was a challenging year, the arrival of HYbrid4 and 208 models brought great success, up five per cent over 2011.  For 2013 we expect the sales of 208 to increase, helped by range expansion with excitement, style and desire with the new 208 GTi, 208 XY and 2008 – due over the next few months.’