Peugeot 504 History
From the first design studies in 1963 to the last car off the Nigerian line in 2006 — the complete history of one of history's greatest automobiles.
Timeline 1963–2006
Development (1963–1968)
1963
Design studies begin under Maurice Jordan. Competition between Pininfarina (Turin) and Peugeot's internal team (Paul Bouvot, Gérard Welter, Jean-Pierre Prodeau).
1965
Peugeot 204 introduced — sets the new Peugeot design direction.
Sept 12
1968 Official launch of the Peugeot 504 sedan. Delayed from the planned June date by the May 1968 social unrest that shut down the Sochaux factory.
1968 Official launch of the Peugeot 504 sedan. Delayed from the planned June date by the May 1968 social unrest that shut down the Sochaux factory.
The Rising Star (1969–1973)
1969
504 wins the European Car of the Year — 119 points, 42 ahead of the BMW 2500/2800. Peugeot's first COTY award.
1969
504 sedan is Peugeot's 5 millionth vehicle produced.
Mar 1969
Coupé and Cabriolet revealed at the Geneva Salon. Both designed by Franco Martinengo at Pininfarina.
1969
Argentine production begins (SAFRAR).
1970
Break and Familiale enter production. South Africa assembly begins.
1971
XN 2.0L petrol introduced — replaces XM 1.8L in most applications.
1973
Production record: 222,000 units in a single year. The 504's peak European year.
1973
"Light" version introduced — 504 L. Simplified spec, rigid rear axle, drum brakes, responding to the oil crisis.
The V6 Era & Rally Glory (1974–1979)
1974
PRV V6 introduced in Coupé and Cabriolet — 136 PS.
1975
Historic treble: Safari Rally (Ove Andersson), Rallye du Maroc (Hannu Mikkola / Jean Todt), and Rallye Bandama — three major African rallies in one season.
1975
504 diesel accounts for 65% of all diesel car sales in France. Nigeria assembly begins (PAN, Kaduna). Kenya assembly begins.
1976
Rallye du Maroc and Bandama Rally wins. Jean-Pierre Nicolas / Michel Gamet, Morocco.
1977
V6 Coupé gains 5-speed gearbox and Bosch K-Jetronic injection (144 PS). V6 Cabriolet discontinued. Oct: 2.0L reintroduced in Coupé.
1978
Safari Rally victory — Jean-Pierre Nicolas / Jean-Claude Lefèbvre in a V6 Coupé. Nicolas also wins Bandama Rally.
1979
Sevel takes over from SAFRAR in Argentina. Tour du Maghreb win.
Wind-Down & World Legacy (1980–2006)
1980
504 Pickup introduced in Europe. Argentina launches pickup. Rally Zaïre wins (1980 and 1981).
1981
Dangel 4×4 Pickup introduced — Peugeot's first-ever 4×4 vehicle. Rally Kenya win.
1983
European production of sedan, coupé, and cabriolet ends.
1985
South Africa assembly ends (Sigma merges with Ford to form Samcor).
1991
Argentina: major restyling — new front/rear design and revised interior.
1993
European Pickup production ends. Dangel 4×4 discontinued 1994.
1999–2000
Argentina sedan production ends — final sales 2000. ~500,000 total units.
2004
Kenya production ends — 27,000 total units.
2006
The last Peugeot 504 leaves the Nigerian assembly line in Kaduna. 425,000 Nigerian units. 38 years after European launch. Total global production: 3,713,356 units.
The Award That Defined an Era
The 504 won the 1969 European Car of the Year award — Peugeot's first COTY win. It came in the car's first full year of availability (launched September 1968), making it especially rapid recognition. The award validated what had been a somewhat cautious market debut.
| Position | Car | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 1st | Peugeot 504 | 119 |
| 2nd | BMW 2500/2800 | 77 |
| 3rd | Alfa Romeo 1750 | 76 |
The 504 won by a 42-point margin over the BMW. The jury praised it as "a large family car which offered a high standard of interior comfort and build quality."
Styling
Build quality
Chassis
Ride comfort
Visibility
Engine refinement
Context: Neighbouring COTY Winners
1968 COTY: NSU Ro 80 (197 pts) · 1970 COTY: Fiat 128 (235 pts)
Production Figures
By Market
| Market | Assembly | Years | Units |
|---|---|---|---|
| France (Sochaux) | Domestic | 1968–1983 | 3,000,000+ (European) |
| Nigeria (PAN) | Local assembly | 1975–2006 | 425,000 |
| Argentina (SAFRAR/Sevel) | Local assembly | 1969–2000 | ~500,000 |
| Kenya | Local assembly | 1975–2004 | 27,000 |
| Spain | Local assembly | 1977–1980 | not confirmed |
| South Africa | Local assembly | 1970–1985 | not confirmed |
| China (Guangzhou) | Local assembly | 1989–1997 | not confirmed |
| TOTAL GLOBAL | 1968–2006 | 3,713,356 |
Two-Door Production Breakdown
| Variant | Units |
|---|---|
| Coupé 4-cyl manual | 14,583 |
| Coupé 4-cyl automatic | 2,163 |
| Coupé V6 carburetted | 4,472 |
| Coupé V6 injection | 1,157 |
| Cabriolet 4-cyl (Series 1) | 5,848 |
| Cabriolet 4-cyl (Series 2) | 1,071 |
| Cabriolet 4-cyl automatic | 292 |
| Cabriolet V6 | 977 |
| Total two-door | ~31,163 |
Peak Production Year
1973: 222,000 units produced — the highest annual production in the 504's history. The same year the oil crisis prompted the introduction of the simplified 504 L variant.