In April 2015, Peugeot released the 2008 Griffe THP. It was a strange being at that moment: SUV style – but not so much –, manual gearbox and 173 hp 1.6 turbo flex engine.
Despite qualities such as a good finish and sports performance, it was a car that did not achieve significant sales figures. On the track, however, the results were substantial. The engine developed in partnership with BMW placed the model at the top of the Folha-Mauá ranking.
Seven years have passed, and today the Peugeot 2008 can be considered the pioneer in the segment that is about to receive the Pulse Abarth.
This new market niche will bring together models that look more like compact sports hatches, but that bring high suspension and other styling solutions that refer to off-road use. Exactly like the model of French origin.
The secret lies in offering a different option using parts that are already on the shelves of automakers. In the case of the Pulse Abarth, the 1.3 turbo flex engine (185 hp) and the six-speed automatic transmission are the same used in the Jeep Renegade. The calibration, however, will be exclusive to the Fiat.
The focus is clear: profitability. After the decline of the popular ones and the skyrocketing prices that made compact SUVs exceed R$ 150 thousand in some versions, it is necessary to create sub-segments capable of attracting new customers.
On the rise, models like the Pulse and the Volkswagen Nivus fit this new profile. If you don’t have the size or space of the Honda HR-V (from R$ 142,500) and Hyundai Creta (122,500), these models cost less and have room for more equipped options with a sporty appeal. .
2008 itself underwent changes. Peugeot has launched a new turbocharged version called Style, which comes along with visual changes that include a black painted roof and equally darkened wheels. It costs R$ 20 thousand more than the simpler Allure version, equipped with the 1.6 flex aspirated (120 hp).
The manual transmission is in the past: in its place is the six-speed automatic provided by Japan’s Aisin (Toyota group).
It is the same mechanical set that made the car of French origin win the second championship in the performance tests in the Ranking Folha-Mauá 2021.
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