Peugeot 104 Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
The
Peugeot 104 is a supermini-sized
automobile produced by
Peugeot in the
1970s and
1980s.
The 104 was produced in various forms from 1972 to 1988. The heart of the car was the 1.1 L Douvrin engine, which was jointly developed with Renault. This used a transmission-in-sump arrangement, similar to that used by the British Motor Corporation in the likes of the Mini. The 104 was sold as a 2 and 4 door hatchback or sedan, although the basic silhouette of the car was the same regardless of version.
Following the acquisitions of Citroën in 1976 and Simca in 1978, various badge-engineered versions of the 104 appeared. The Citroën version was known as the Citroën LN, whilst Simca (which had the rights to the Talbot badge), released its version of the car, known as the Talbot Samba.
The Peugeot badged version died in 1983 to make way for the 205, but the Samba continued for another five years after the 104's demise. The mechanical configuration of the 104 was also used in the Citroën Visa.
History
On its launch in the 1972, the Peugeot 104 was one of the first small hatchbacks produced in Europe - and easily the first with five doors. With power from 1.1 and 1.4 petrol engines, it gave good levels of economy and refinement as well as having an impressive chassis which made ride and handling excellent.
By 1975, Peugeot had taken over Citroen, and the 104 bodyshell formed the basis of the 652cc two-cylinder engined Citroen LN. This car was fitted with a 1.1 engine in 1983 to become the LNA, before production finally ceased in 1985.
In 1979, Peugeot also took over the European division of Chrysler who owned the Ryton factory at Coventry which had previously been owned by the Rootes Group. Three years later, the Peugeot 104 formed the basis of a three-door hatchback (and two-door cabriolet) called the Talbot Samba which remained in production until the Talbot name for passenger cars was scrapped in 1986.
The Peugeot 104 was one of the most successful European small cars of the 1970s but it was starting to show its age against more modern rivals by the turn of the 1980s. When Peugeot launched the stylish all-new 205 in 1983, the 104 was withdrawn from most European markets including Britain. But it continued in France as a budget choice until production finally ceased in 1988 after 16 years.
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