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NEW E-2008: THE STORY OF A RENAISSANCE

June 9th, 2023

6 minute read

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May has come to an end and Spring is already drawing to a close. Here in Europe we are at the gateway to Summer, ready to take full advantage of nature's beneficial renewal. At PEUGEOT, this new Summer period begins under the sign of innovation with the arrival of the new E-2008. Fresh from its facelift, the Lion Brand's star SUV is back on the scene, performing better than ever.
If it's common knowledge that Rome wasn't built in a day, then neither was the new E-2008! The process of renewing a vehicle is a long-term project that involves various stages. To trace the implementation of this transformation, Marion Bouvier (PEUGEOT Product Manager) and Pierre-Paul Mattei (PEUGEOT Project Design Manager) explain how PEUGEOT vehicles are given a second youth. 

How is a new vehicle design prepared?

Modernity: the keystone of the process

Pierre-Paul Mattei: 

I usually say that we designers are like multi-sensory sponges. Societal, environmental, architectural or artistic trends: everything inspires us. We are at the heart of everything that moves and our artistic work is nourished by our understanding of the world today and in the future. 
 

Of course, we are attentive to what our competitors are doing in terms of creation and audacity, but we cultivate our own history. PEUGEOT is a brand with a strong identity and a very precise, constantly updated trajectory. It is also this trajectory that guides our work as designers and guides us in terms of formal language and signature. 
 

In the context of vehicle design renewal, our key words are identity and modernity. Our main objective is to connect with the automotive modernity of the moment. This is really what guides our work. 

Marion Bouvier: 
On the product side, we first analyse customer feedback to find out what they like about the vehicle and what needs to be improved in terms of technology and infotainment. The qualitative and quantitative studies available to us also allow us to see how we compare with the competition. 

Respecting the right timing

Marion Bouvier: 

The renewal of a vehicle takes place about four years after it is first put on the market. After a full year of marketing we look at commercial performance. We then prepare the brief and the style scenarios. The two years before the launch allow the vehicle to be developed.  Our product plans are defined well in advance so that the entire PEUGEOT range presented in the showrooms is always consistent. 
 

However, depending on the various technological advances and customer feedback, we can extend the scope of the transformation initially planned. For example, for E-2008, our plan evolved with the Brand's objective of offering a 100% electric range by 2030. The challenge is to adapt the overall efficiency of the car to accommodate the technology needed for greater autonomy. 

Pierre-Paul Mattei: 
I would add that it is important that the range remains coherent. When a customer enters a dealership, he must not have the impression that he is faced with old cars on one side and modern cars on the other. 

Behind the scenes of the creation of the new E-2008

Nothing is lost, nothing is created: everything is transformed

Pierre-Paul Mattei:
When renewing a style, our main design constraint is the homogeneity of the vehicle. A renewal is not a creation from a blank page: 80% of the car is renewed. We must remain consistent with the original design. This is what sets our limits, even if we try to be as creative as possible. I really like the exercise of renewing a design. I compare it to the short program in figure skating: the compulsory figures must be part of the program, but there is room for personal artistic expression. It's a real intellectual discipline. 

Renewal step by step

Pierre-Paul Mattei: 
The cycle of a vehicle lasts about eight years and the design renewal takes place halfway through this cycle. For the implementation of the transformation, the Brand provides a brief which expresses the expectations and possible corrections to be made. The style competition is then launched: several designs are proposed and when the choice is made, the final touches are made, taking into account the various constraints. The industrial tool is then adapted for the manufacture of the new vehicle. This whole process takes about two years. So you start thinking about refreshing a brand new model in its second year of life. 
Marion Bouvier: 
We therefore have two years to observe how the car performs on the market, depending on the country and prepare the new style brief. This is the time we need to determine the changes to be made. 

Setting objectives

Marion Bouvier: 

Three main objectives have been set for the new E-2008 version:

 

  • Updating the design to make the SUV more attractive and more connected to the range. Design is a key purchasing criterion for our customers.
  • Reconfirm the car's technology and connectivity. 
  • In 2030: The PEUGEOT vehicle range will be 100% electric, so it is important to install E-2008 as an electric vehicle first and to ensure a minimum range of 400 km.
Marion Bouvier: 

Three main objectives have been set for the new E-2008 version:

 

  • Updating the design to make the SUV more attractive and more connected to the range. Design is a key purchasing criterion for our customers.
  • Reconfirm the car's technology and connectivity. 
  • In 2030: The PEUGEOT vehicle range will be 100% electric, so it is important to install E-2008 as an electric vehicle first and to ensure a minimum range of 400 km.

Sublimating the Brand's values

Allure, Excellence, Emotion: a new focus

The new emblem gives the car the full dimension of Allure. The illuminated signage also imposes a top-of-the-range style, thanks in particular to the three large claws and the body-coloured grille.
The new emblem gives the car the full dimension of Allure. The illuminated signage also imposes a top-of-the-range style, thanks in particular to the three large claws and the body-coloured grille.
The number one emotion is really the pleasure of driving. The i-Cockpit® has therefore been modernised: more stylish, more technological with 10-inch high-definition screens. The 3D instrument cluster has been redesigned in terms of graphics, is 100% customisable and more connected. 
The number one emotion is really the pleasure of driving. The i-Cockpit® has therefore been modernised: more stylish, more technological with 10-inch high-definition screens. The 3D instrument cluster has been redesigned in terms of graphics, is 100% customisable and more connected. 
Excellence is achieved through the new, more powerful 100% electric engine: thanks to the new batteries, power is increased by 15% from 136 to 156 horsepower.  The range is now up to 406 kilometres. 
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