Peugeot 504, an icon within the 500 series of Peugeot

The 500 series of Peugeot is currently represented by the new 508, updated and presented at the Paris Motor Show, alongside other novelties with which the French brand attended the event.

The Peugeot 504 was launched on the market in 1968. It was not only the successor to the 404 as a luxury saloon, but also became the face of the new image of Peugeot at the start of the modern era for the brand.

Like its predecessor, it was also designed by the Turin-based coachbuilder Pininfarina. It featured for the first time the trapezoidal front headlights, iconic on this and other Peugeot models. Because of this feature, the coachbuilder claimed the 504 had “the eyes of Sophia Loren”.

In addition to its eye-catching exterior, it incorporated technical innovations that made it a more than interesting option. All four wheels featured power-assisted disc brakes, the rear suspension had independent wheels, and these elements complemented the extensive equipment, since, depending on the version, it could come as standard with seat belts, radio with cassette player, leather upholstery, power steering, electric windows or air conditioning.

It offered a wide variety of body styles to choose from according to tastes or needs. The first to appear was the saloon version, which a year later was joined by the coupé and coupé cabriolet bodies. At the beginning of the 1970s the range was completed by the estate version. The shooting brake variant, called the 504 Riviera, was presented at the Geneva Motor Show of 1970 and was based on the coupé body, although it never went into series production. In collaboration with Dangel, a 504 pick-up with four-wheel drive was developed.

Just as there was a great variety of versions, the engine range was also extensive, covering both petrol and diesel units. Displacements ranged from 1,800 cc to 2,700 cc, with power outputs from 53 CV up to 144 CV.

Thanks to its dynamism and characteristics such as a comfortable driving position and good visibility from the steering wheel, smooth driving, good cornering, stability and a notable filtering of road irregularities, the Peugeot 504 represented a major step forward for the lion brand.

It became a commercial success, as 3,700,000 units were assembled over the nearly 40 years during which production was active. In Nigeria it continued to be manufactured until 2006. The positive reception from the public and the good reviews from the specialist press were also reasons enough for it to win the “Car of the Year” award in 1969, just one year after its launch. It was the first Peugeot model to achieve such recognition.

It was a product with a global character, as proven by its assembly in several plants of the PSA Group spread across the world. At the Vigo Plant, the 504 was the first model attributed to that factory.

The success of the product strategy driven by Jean-Pierre Peugeot and Maurice Jordan to turn Peugeot into a mainstream brand had the 504 as one of its main assets.

Within the field of motorsport, it also had a special chapter. Its characteristics, reliability and durability, among many others, helped the Peugeot 504 become highly prized in competition. The Safari Rally, the Bandama Rally in Ivory Coast and the Rally of Morocco were the victories it achieved in Africa.

There is no doubt that the 504 became an important vehicle in the history of Peugeot, and so much so that the new 508 continues along the path begun by the original model and first of the 500 series.

Source | Peugeot