Peugeot 504: Легенда дорог и надежный спутник

The Peugeot 504 is a mid size, front engine, rear wheel drive automobile manufactured and marketed by Peugeot from 1968 to 1983 over a single generation, primarily in four door sedan and wagon configurations – but also as twin two door coupé and cabriolet configurations as well as pickup truck variants. The sedan (berline) was styled by Aldo Brovarone of Pininfarina, and the coupé and cabriolet twins were styled by Franco Martinengo at Pininfarina, with wagon (break and familiale) and pickup (camionette) designed and sketches produced in house at Peugeot. The 504 was noted for its robust body structure, long suspension travel, high ground clearance, large wheels and torque tube driveshaft – enclosed in a rigid tube attached at each end to the gearbox housing and differential casing, relieving drivetrain torque reactions. The 504 ultimately achieved widespread popularity in far flung rough terrain countries – including Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, Benin, Kenya and Nigeria. and 425,000 assembled in Nigeria, using knock down kits – with production extending into 2006. Having debuted as Peugeot's flagship at the 1968 Paris Salon, the 504 received the 1969 European Car of the Year. In 2013, the Los Angeles Times called it "Africa's workhorse."

Marketed as Peugeot's flagship saloon car, the 504 made its public debut on 12 September 1968 at the Paris Salon. The press launch which had been scheduled for June 1968 was at the last minute deferred by three months, and production got off to a similarly delayed start because of the political and industrial disruption which exploded across France in May 1968. The 504 was a sunroof equipped four door saloon, introduced with a carbureted 1,796 cc four cylinder petrol engine DIN with on tap with the optional fuel injection. At the time of introduction, Peugeot still used the SAE rating, with claimed power numbers of 87 and 103 cv respectively. A column mounted four speed manual transmission was standard; a three speed ZF 3HP12 automatic became available with the carburetted engine beginning in February 1969. In September 1969 the automatic's shifter location was moved from the steering column to the floor. The 504 was elected European Car of the Year in 1969, praised for its styling, quality, chassis, ride, visibility, strong engine and refinement. 1969 was also when the 504 reached the Australian market. The engine produced the same of output as in the fuel injected saloon, but the final drive ratio was slightly revised to give a slightly higher road speed of at 1,000 rpm. Available models:
504 4 door saloon
504 Injection 4 door saloon
504 Injection 2 door coupé
504 Injection 2 door cabriolet

In August 1974 the second series 504 was introduced. The most noticeable change was the new, more flush fitting doorhandles, and new wheels with rectangular rather than oval openings on the GL and TI models. The GL and TI also received a new, more padded steering wheel. Additionally, the 2.0's double carburettor was changed from the Solex SEIA to a Zenith INAT (with no change in power), while the liftgate on the estates changed from steel springs to gas struts. At the 1974 October Motor Show Peugeot presented a more powerful engine for the 504 coupé and cabriolet, now fitted with a "PRV" 2664 cc V6 unit developed in collaboration with Renault and Volvo. This was the same engine that would be used for the 604 berline, to be introduced at Geneva five months later, in March 1975. The 504 TI received power windows in the rear as well.

At the Paris Motor Show of October 1976 an enlarged diesel engine was introduced for the 504 GLD saloon. The stroke of remained the same as that of the existing 2112 cc diesel motor, but for the larger engine the bore was increased to , giving an overall 2304 cc along with an increase in claimed power output from Briefly, the 2.1 diesel was not offered on any 504 saloons. The 2112 cc diesel engine would also find its way into the Ford Granada since Ford did not at the time produce a sufficient volume of diesel sedans in this class to justify the development of their own diesel engine. From August 1976 on, the power of the 2 liter petrol engines increased marginally, to for the carburetted and fuel injected engines respectively. The grille on the 504 L models was changed from the original chromed metal piece to a black, plastic unit. The 504 TI gained power steering.

In September 1977, the 2.3 liter diesel found its way into the new GLD Break and the Familiale Diesel, while the Break L now received a downtuned version of the old 2.1 liter unit, producing Also new was the option of an automatic transmission for the 2.3 diesel (saloons only). The old 1.9 liter diesel was discontinued, and the basic 504 saloons dropped the "L" designation, gaining a black plastic dash and the steering wheel from the GL/TI in the process. The new 504 diesel saloon was fitted with the erstwhile, 2.1 liter diesel engine that had graced the GLD until the introduction of the 2.3. The coupé and cabriolet saw the reintroduction of the fuel injected 2.0 liter engine, a response to slow sales of the thirsty V6. The V6 coupé gained a five speed manual transmission and fuel injection for , while the V6 cabriolet was discontinued after only 970 examples had been built in three years.

Peugeot 504 production in Europe was pruned back in 1979 with the launch of the Peugeot 505, although the 504 Pickup was introduced as a replacement for the 404 Pickup for the 1980 model year. The last European made example rolled off the production line in 1983, although the pick up version continued in production, and was available in Europe until 1993. More than three million 504 passenger cars were produced in Europe. The 505 shared most of the Peugeot 504 mechanical parts, similarly to the Peugeot 604 and Talbot Tagora.

Manufacturing continued in Kenya until 2004, and Nigeria until 2006, using the Peugeot knock down kits, which meant that versions of the 504 had been in production in various parts of the world for a total of 38 years. Kenyan production was 27,000 units and the car remained on sale to 2007, being described as "King of the African road". Egypt also had its own production facilities. In South Africa it was built by PACSA (Peugeot and Citroën South Africa) alongside the 404 until late 1978. Sigma Motor Corporation took over from PACSA in early 1979 and moved 504 production to their "Sigma Park" plant east of Pretoria. In China, the 504 was produced in pickup form, with a four door crew cab, a live rear axle, on an extended estate platform. These were built by Guangzhou Peugeot Automobile Company. Chinese production of the 504 pickup ceased in 1997, when the joint venture folded. In 1991 the later models were restyled at the front and rear, with the lamps and bumpers changing design. These cars were also given a new interior. Argentinian 504s offered the 1971 cc petrol four cylinder or the 2304 cc diesel. This version had a XN1 2.0 litres engine but with a new intake and exhaust manifold with four individual outlets, a double mouth Solex carburetor and a camshaft with greater elevation (7.5 mm against 6.7 mm of the previous one) among other changes with the engine reaching The pickup used the longer wheelbase and live rear axle of the 504 Break. On introduction, it was available with very basic spec and single round headlights, fitted in plastic frames shaped like the 504's "cat's eyes." The engine options were the 404's 1618 cc petrol (U01) and 1948 cc diesel (U20); outputs are respectively. This was the only 504 sold with the 1.6 litre XC5 engine. As with most of Peugeot's commercial vehicles, the 504 Pickup was assembled by Chausson. As with the regular 504, the pickup has rear wheel drive and a floor shifted four speed manual transmission. A locking differential was also standard. Late model pickups were also available with a five speed transmission. In July 1981, Dangel added a four wheel drive version of the Pickup. These were mainly purchased by French governmental agencies, as their procurement rules required them to purchase French when possible. About 5500 Dangel 4x4 Pickups were built until the model's discontinuation in 1994. For 1982 the better equipped 504 Pickup GR was added, these received some chrome touches and luxuries such as a clock and door mounted armrests. Externally, the GR was set apart by black rubber bumper overriders, different hubcaps and a modicum of chrome ornamentation (the standard version received a grille and bumpers painted light gray). By 1984, the chrome parts were dropped in favor of a cleaner, more modern appearance. The GR was renamed "Confort" in 1987, at least in the French domestic market. This is also when the 1.6 petrol option was discontinued. The GR received an version of the 504's 1.8 liter petrol engine, while the GRD had the 2.3 liter diesel. In November 2010. Iranian state television announced Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was to auction off his 1977 Peugeot 504 to raise money for charity. The car is white with a sky blue interior, and has covered only 37,000 km since new. The political significance of the car being a 504 is that it was used as a working class status symbol to draw electoral support from the less well off during the 2005 presidential campaign. The money earned from the sale at international auction is to be donated to the Mehr housing project, a network of cooperatives that provides affordable housing for low income families. Soon after being put on auction in January 2011, a bid of $1 million was received from "an Arab country". When the auction closed in March 2011, the final bid was $2.5 million.