Interesting Fact of the Day: No One Knows How Many Peugeot 206 Units Were Actually Sold
Today, the Peugeot 206 is officially by far the best-selling model of this French brand. According to official data from the Gallic company, this car has recorded as many as 8.3 million registrations.
This subcompact contender appeared back in 1998 and immediately appealed to European buyers. The “lion” offered a versatile B-segment car, available as a hatchback and wagon, as well as convertible and sedan variants. With a choice of three or five doors and a wide range of powertrains, the 206 instantly became a major success.
From Near Miss to Europe’s Best Seller
Image Credit: Stellantis.
As a result, in 2002, Peugeot’s urban favorite finished in second place among the most popular cars in Europe, with the first-place VW Golf ahead by just 500 vehicles. But already the following year, in 2003, the Peugeot 206 took the crown with more than 551,000 registered deliveries.
Over the course of its career, Peugeot upgraded its bestseller several times, and production, in addition to France, also took place outside the borders of the Old Continent. Officially, the last 206 for European customers rolled off the production lines in 2012, but assembly continued in Brazil for another two years.
Why the Total Sales Figure Remains a Mystery
So why is the exact number of sold Peugeot 206 units still unknown? The answer to this question lies far away in Iran, specifically with the local company Khodro.
Believe it or not, Khodro recently introduced a facelifted version designated 207i. This is nothing more than a refreshed 206, meaning that the career of this small hatchback now spans more than 27 years, with no indication so far of when it might end.
Data coming from Iran regarding local car sales are very unreliable. Foreign media believe that they are manipulated in order to falsely present the state of the Iranian market.
Still, experts believe that the Peugeot 206 is one of the pillars of the aforementioned company and a favorite among Iranian buyers. Therefore, rough estimates freely suggest that the “little lion” has so far surpassed the figure of 10 million vehicles sold and will soon be able to boast 11 million as well, if reports coming from ancient Persia can be trusted.
A Model With No End in Sight
Image Credit: Stellantis.
Independent estimates indicate that Khodro still produces around 20,000 Peugeot 206 units per year and, by all accounts, has no intention of giving up this model. The history of the 206 continues in a well-deserved and glorious manner.
This article originally appeared on Autorepublika.com and has been republished with permission by Guessing Headlights. AI-assisted translation was used, followed by human editing and review.
