Peugeot has announced plans to manufacture cars in China, and unveiled two new concept vehicles as part of a broader strategy centred around electric sedans and SUVs to drive international sales growth.
The Peugeot Concept 6 large electric sedan and Concept 8 large electric SUV were revealed at the Auto China 2026 motor show in Beijing, where the company also confirmed it will build vehicles in China for export markets – perhaps including Australia.
“China is a major driver of our global transformation, particularly in electrification, innovation and brand elevation,” Peugeot CEO Alain Favey said in a statement.
“Today we are showcasing two new concept cars which demonstrate our vision for a bold new future for the brand, combining feline French design and driving pleasure with world-leading electric and intelligent technologies, for China and for our global market.”
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The Concept 6 was described by the French automaker as merging “the elegance of a sedan with the dynamism of a shooting brake”. Sedans continue to sell strongly in China but are declining in popularity in other global markets.
The same ‘feline’ design language has been applied to a large battery-powered SUV in the form of the Concept 8, also revealed in Beijing.
Both vehicles remain concept cars and haven’t been confirmed for production, but they’re said to preview the design direction of future Peugeot models, as did the Polygon concept also shown in Beijing.
Inspired by the 1984-1994 Peugeot 205 GTi, the Polygon concept – first revealed in November 2025 – points to the design direction for the next-generation Peugeot 208 light hatch, which is expected to be released in 2027.
The new 208 could be built in China, with the company confirming it will tap its existing partnership with Dongfeng to manufacture Peugeot-branded vehicles in Wuhan for global markets from next year.
Peugeot currently builds vehicles in France, Spain, Slovakia and Portugal, and also operates plants in Argentina and Brazil. Most export models are produced in Europe, with factories in other regions typically serving local markets.
The current Peugeot model lineup in Australia includes vehicles made in France and Spain.
The French brand is part of Netherlands-based Stellantis auto group, which last week confirmed Peugeot will be one of four ‘core’ brands it will focus on, alongside Jeep, Ram and Fiat.
Stellantis was formed in 2021 when PSA Peugeot-Citroën merged with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and includes more than a dozen automotive brands. The group reported a loss of €22.3 billion (A$36.5bn) in 2025.
Last year Peugeot sold around 638,000 vehicles in Europe – its largest market – representing a slight 0.6 per cent year-on-year decline.
In Australia, Peugeot is imported by Sydney-based Inchcape, which also distributes Subaru, Deepal and Foton vehicles.
Local sales for the French brand fell 28.8 per cent in 2025, when its compact Partner (432 sales) and mid-size Expert (223) commercial vans were split by the 3008 (264), followed by the 2008 (158).
All of Peugeot’s other models failed to generate three-digit sales numbers last year in Australia, including the 408 (93), 308 (88), 5008 (64) and Boxer (22).
The trend has continued into 2026, with the Partner being the top-selling Peugeot model in the first quarter of this year, when overall sales for the brand were down 31.4 per cent.
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