Car Moon

Ever see one of those stupid competitions where a group of people try and see who can keep their hands on a car or a truck the longest, and the person who does actually wins that car or truck?

If you haven’t, there’s a documentary called Hands on a Hard Body that covers this in detail, but suffice to say it’s like watching American Idol if all the contestants were unemployed hicks and weren’t required to do anything but stand up there on stage.

So French carmaker Peugeot, never being one to shy away from reinventing something old for the internet age, took the concept and turned it into an interactive webpage.

This past February, Peugeot launched the four-door sedan variant of its 308 series in the Brazilian market as the new 408. In one of its first advertising campaigns for the car, the French carmaker wanted to communicate the compact-sized model’s safety features, namely the availability of six airbags with eight protection points.

Peugeot turned to the creative people of the Sao Paulo-based advertising agency Loducca who came up with an interactive print ad for the 408. The company used a supplier from China to create 50,000 mini airbags, which were then inserted in one of Brazil’s most reputable business magazines, the Exame.

Georges Lautner’s 1981 action-thriller Le Professionnel is about a French Secret Service agent betrayed by his employers and left to rot in an African prison camp. After breaking out and returning to his native France, the agent (played by Jean-Paul Belmondo) begins plotting his revenge against the people who set him up. In this scene, Belmondo is attempting to outfox the French Secret Service agents following him.

Belmodono’s car is the red Fiat 131 Supermirafiori while his rivals are driving a black Peugeot 504. There are a couple of 180 degree turns, a handful of nice pit manoeuvres and the prerequisite shot of the Eiffel Tower for the non-Gallic viewers. The chase eventually moves to the grounds of the Palais de Chaillot, where we discover just how overused that, “driving a car down some stairs,” thing was before Jason Bourne got around to it.

Peugeot has released the first full-length TV ad for its flagship 508 sedan that will have its world premiere at the Mondial de l'Automobile (Paris Motor Show) at the end of the month. The 508 sits snugly between the soon-to-be-discontinued 407 and the already defunct 607 range in terms of size.

In Europe, Honda's CR-Z hybrid hot hatch isn't the only eco-friendly sports car available to buyers of average means. One of the most recent arrivals in the category is Peugeot's striking RCZ sports coupe that is offered with a frugal 2.0-liter diesel engine.

Two cars, two different approaches on the same topic. But which one is better? To answer this question, British magazine Auto Express took both sports cars and tested them to see which one comes on top in typical everyday use.

If you read between the lines - or in this case, the tester's words, the RCZ is a better car picking up the title in fuel economy, performance, interior styling and quality, as well as exterior looks. But -there's always a but, isn't there?- the entry-level RCZ Diesel costs £5,251 [about US$7,900 or €6,500] more than the basic CR-Z, which ultimately makes the comparison unjust.

Video and some quick facts we gathered on both cars after the jump.

A couple of weeks ago Peugeot released the first official photos of its new SR1 hybrid roadster concept that signals a fresh design direction for the French automaker. Now, the company has published a digital promo film that shows the tow-seater hybrid model in some virtual action. Check it out after the jump.

Strengthening its position in the highly competitive compact MPV sector in Europe, the PSA Peugeot-Citroen recently swiped the covers off the all-new Peugeot 5008 people carrier that is set to go on sale in the autumn after a premiere at the Frankfurt auto show in September. The 5008 that will be offered in five- and seven-seat configurations will compete directly with the Renault Scenic and Grand Scenic and Opel Zafira MPVs as well as its sister company's Citroen C4 Picasso and C4 Grand Picasso models. Click here for our detailed article on the French MPV or hit the jump to watch the first official promo video of the 5008.

The things marketers and advertisers come up with to capture the attention of consumers, never cease to amaze us. To celebrate the launch of the new 308CC coupe-convertible in the U.K., Peugeot decided to offer Londoners a 'rude' wake-up call in the morning rush hour with a team of 308 seemingly naked people wearing only a blue scarf. However, to the dismay of many, Peugeot's commuters weren't actually naked as they were wearing specially made bodysuits mimicking the color of the human skin. Check out Peugeot's "naked" commuters in action in the video after the jump.