Peugeot has been present in the pickup truck segment since 1938, when they launched a flatbed vehicle derived from the 202. After the war, it was replaced by the 203, and then they launched the 403 and 404, and, in 1979, the 504. Fast forward to the present day and the French auto brand has yet another workhorse in its lineup. It’s dubbed the Landtrek, is aimed at emerging markets and has recently celebrated its media launch in Los Cabos, Mexico.
The Landtrek will launch in Latin America
in two phases: in Mexico, Uruguay, Ecuador, Paraguay, Panama, Peru, Dominican
Republic, Guatemala, Haiti and Chile at first, and in Argentina, Brazil and
Colombia afterwards. Sub-Saharan Africa will also get it, as Peugeot announced
at the beginning of the year during the reveal, and then it will arrive in
other markets.
To prove its prowess, it is being
subjected to a 50-day, 26,000-km trip across the South American
continent. The journey started on November 25 in Los Cabos, and will take it to
Ecuador by sea and then to the southernmost city in the world, Ushuaia, in
Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, where it should arrive at the beginning of
February.
Looking to make a splash in the popular
segment, the Landtrek sports Peugeot’s current design language. It can be
ordered with seating for up to six in a 3+3 layout and sports features such as
a 10-inch infotainment system, with Bluetooth and smartphone integration, USB
sockets, dual-zone climate control, Lane Departure Warning, Trailer Swing
Control, Hill Descent Control and 360-degree cameras.
The pickup truck will be available with
two engines, a 1.9-liter diesel delivering 148 HP and 350 Nm of torque, and a turbocharged 2.4-liter gasoline four with 207
HP and 320 Nm. The former will be mated to a
six-speed manual gearbox and the latter will also have the option of a
six-speed auto. The entry-level versions of the Landtrek will have to make do
with rear-wheel drive, while the upper specs will have all-wheel drive, with 4H
and 4L modes for improved traction on arduous terrains.
