Peugeot 104

Peugeot 104
1979 Peugeot 104S 5-door
Overview
Manufacturer	PSA Group
Production	1972–1988
Assembly	Mulhouse, France La Marsa, Tunisia (STAFIM)
Designer	Paolo Martin
Body and chassis
Class	Supermini (B)
Body style	4-door saloon 1972-76 3-door hatchback 1974-88 5-door hatchback 1976-88
Layout	FF layout
Related	Citroën LN / LNA Citroën Visa Talbot Samba
Powertrain
Engine	954 cc XV I4 1,124 cc XW I4 1,219 cc XZ I4 1,360 cc XY I4
Dimensions
Wheelbase	95.25 in (2,419 mm) (4/5 door) 87.81 in (2,230 mm)(3 door)
Length	141 in (3,600 mm) (4/5 door) 129.25 in (3,283 mm) (3 door)
Width	59.8 in (1,520 mm)
Height	54.75 in (1,391 mm)(4/5 door) 52.75 in (1,340 mm)(3 door)
Chronology
Successor	Peugeot 205

The Peugeot 104 is a supermini motor car designed by Paolo Martin and produced by the French car manufacturer Peugeot between 1972 and 1988. It was the first model produced at the company's Mulhouse . It was also the first new Peugeot introduced since 1955 not to be available with a diesel option.

On its launch in 1972, the Peugeot 104 was offered as a compact four-door fastback. Although it had a short, sloping rear end that suggested a hatchback, there was originally a separate boot/trunk, as on a conventional saloon. Power was provided from a 954 cc Douvrin engine called the PSA X engine, an all-aluminium alloy, chain driven overhead cam, with gearbox in the sump, sharing engine oil, which was jointly developed with Renault. This transmission-in-sump arrangement was similar to that pioneered by the British Motor Corporation in the Mini. It gave good levels of economy and refinement as well as having an impressive chassis which made ride and handling excellent. The engine was mounted leaning backwards, at a 72 degree angle.

A three-door coupé was launched on a shortened chassis, with the same 954 cc engine as the saloon. Headlights were larger and rectangular in shape, rather than square. Originally sold as the "104 Coupé", shorter wheelbase models later received names beginning with a "Z" (e.g. ZL, ZA, ZS2). Equipment levels which begin with a "G" or an "S" were used for the longer four/five-door variants.

A facelift in July 1976 saw the four-door saloon replaced with a five-door hatchback. Peugeot had been afraid that a five-door 104 would steal sales from the old-fashioned 204 Break, but with production of the 204 coming to an end in July 1976 this was no longer a concern. Rear light clusters were modified slightly with indicators that wrapped around to the sides of the car, and a 1.1-litre engine was also made available. The coupé was made available in two versions, the ZL and also the more powerful ZS with 66 PS. A modified camshaft on the 954 cc engines also retarded the valve timing in order to favour fuel economy at the price of a slight power reduction. The revised models only appeared in right-hand drive form at the end of the year. 1977 proved to be the most successful year for the 104, with 190,000 being built.