The French Car Critical List 2020: Peugeot
What’s the rarest Peugeot in Britain? Here, PetrolBlog attempts to answer that question using DVLA registration data correct at the end of 2019.
It’s six years since PetrolBlog looked at the French Car Critical List, so an update is long overdue. Like before, the focus is on cars from the PetrolBlog era, so that means Peugeots of the 70s, 80s and 90s. There are one or two others, which you’ll discover in a moment.
The usual caveats apply. The information is only as good as the DVLA data, so the figures should be used as a guide. Also, the cars are ranked in terms of cars registered at the end of December 2019. It’s worth noting the number of Peugeots listed as SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification), as this provides a true indication of the cars left in the UK.
For some context, here are the Peugeot figures from the French Car Critical List in 2015.
14. Peugeot 607
On the road: 777
SORN: 606
The Peugeot 607 didn’t appear to be in danger the last time we looked, but time moves on, and there’s a sense that the big Pug is entering a critical period. Values range from £1,000 to £2,000, but do people care enough to keep the 607 on the road? We have to hope so.
13. Peugeot 406 Coupe: 668
On the road: 668
SORN: 875
Saloon and estate versions of the Peugeot 406 are holding up well, but the 406 Coupe is down to around 1,500. It’s being tipped as a future classic, so we wouldn’t expect to see a rapid rate of decline.
12. Peugeot 405
On the road: 663
SORN: 3,016
All of a sudden, the Peugeot 405’s position is looking a little perilous. There’s a surprising number of cars listed as SORN, but just 663 on the road. Bank on the 405 making it into the French Car Critical List top ten the next time the list is updated.
11. Peugeot 309
On the road: 379
SORN: 1,397
The feature on the Peugeot 309 is one of the most read pieces on PetrolBlog, so there’s plenty of love for the ‘Talbot Arizona’. Unfortunately, the number of 309s on the road has halved since 2015, with the GTI versions the most likely to survive beyond the current decade.
10. Peugeot 504
On the road: 116
SORN: 338
Good news: the number of Peugeot 504s has gone UP. As a certified classic, we reckon the surviving examples are in good hands.
9. Peugeot 304
On the road: 107
SORN: 104
The Pininfarina-designed 304 Cabriolet is playing a major part in keeping the Peugeot 304 alive. Given the elegance of the car, you have to wonder if this chap is photographing the right thing.
8. Peugeot 505
On the road: 51
SORN: 230
Peugeot’s last rear-wheel-drive car is in danger of being the last model standing. The number of 505s on the road has halved in five years, so finding a good one will be tough. Speaking of good ones – this one looks ace.
7. Peugeot 305
On the road: 39
SORN: 202
Launched in 1977, some 1.7 million Peugeot 305s were built before production ceased in 1988. Today, it’s all but forgotten, with just 39 examples on the road.
6. Peugeot 605
On the road: 34
SORN: 100
Right, this isn’t great. There are just 34 examples of the Peugeot 605 left on the road, with a further 100 listed as SORN. You stand a far better chance of finding its platform-sharing sibling: the Citroën XM. A V6 version would be lovely, but your biggest challenge is finding one.
5. Peugeot 404
On the road: 30
SORN: 16
The 404 sits beyond the realms of PetrolBlog, but it serves as a reminder of how beautiful Peugeots were in the 1960s. Available as a saloon, coupe, estate and cabriolet, the 404 saloon looked rather similar to the Morris Oxford/Austin Cambridge. Not surprising, given the link to Pininfarina.
4. Peugeot 403
On the road: 25
SORN: 8
From second on the list in 2015, the Peugeot 403 is now the fourth rarest vehicle on the French Car Critical List. Launched in the mid-50s, the 403 isn’t exactly prime PetrolBlog fodder, but there’s a timeless elegance and innocence to this press photo. Different times.
3. Peugeot 204
On the road: 12
SORN: 7
It was the rarest Peugeot on the French Car Critical List, but 204 numbers have risen, while other cars have declined. The Peugeot 204 was a groundbreaking car, offering front-wheel-drive, servo-assisted brakes and independent rear suspension. It spawned a number of different body styles, including the van (pictured). The techno-led Peugeot is largely forgotten in the UK.
2. Peugeot 104
On the road: 11
SORN: 27
Peugeot built around two million 104s between 1972 and 1988, but just 39 remain in the UK. Of these, 11 are on the road. It formed the basis for the Citroën LN/LNA, which is the rarest Citroën on the French Car Critical List.
1. Peugeot 604
On the road: 9
SORN: 21
From fourth on the list in 2015, to top (or bottom?) in 2020. The Peugeot 604 was good enough to rival the big German cars of the time and proved to be surprisingly successful in the United States. Finding one in the UK is predictably hard, but PetrolBlog harbours a dream of buying one in France and driving it back to ‘Blighty’. Until then, stay tuned for a feature on the big Pug.
All data sourced from the DVLA. Get in touch if you know of any inaccuracies. Thank you.
2 Comments
I still need to contact that guy with the 305 GTX Estate near me (D-reg). There was a lovely white 605 V6 SR for sale a while back which would have been lovely to get hold of, hope its still up, when lockdown is over and Rover shifted, I’d fancy viewing it…
The 504 data will include the pick-up truck as the model isn’t distinguished from the car, for example 504 GL could be a car or a truck, thus the car is more rare than the list suggests.