History of Peugeot in Coventry

Car manufacturing has been a part of Coventry since the 1940’s. The most famous car brand to be manufactured in Coventry is Peugeot. Peugeot is a French car brand which is part of PSA Peugeot Citroen, the second largest carmaker in Europe.

Peugeot cars were built in the Ryton factory in Coventry; however the factory was not originally used by Peugeot. It was originally built to make aero engines to support the war effort. Then it was converted into a car factory in 1946 by Rootes group. A few financial problems and sales later the Ryton factory came into Peugeot hands in 1978. Manufacturing Peugeots in Ryton was significant, as it signaled the very first time Peugeots would be built in Britain. After building Talbot cars since the takeover, the factory finally built the first Peugeot in 1985.

In the 1980’s, the Peugeot 309 and 405 models were built, then in 1993 they stopped producing these in favor of the 306 model. The company then changed their minds again and started to exclusively produce the 206 range of Peugeots and ceased the production of the 306 model. The Peugeot 206 model was the most successful car in the company’s history, a clear win for the Coventry based plant.

Sadly on April 18th 2006 the PSA Peugeot Citroen Company, owner of the Ryton Peugeot plant announced the closure of the Coventry factory. The closure caused 2,300 people to lose their jobs and a further 5,000 supply chain workers to lose theirs as well.

On December 12th 2006 the very last Peugeot 206 was made, and the plant finally closed down in the following January. The closure of the Ryton factory saw 60 years of car manufacturing in Coventry end.

As the factory closed, many people were without jobs and seeking employment elsewhere. Luckily a new phone repair and distribution company had just opened in Nuneaton. The company employed over 40 former Peugeot workers within months of Ryton’s closure.

Peugeot has not disappeared from Coventry altogether, Peugeot’s Public Relations manager Kevin Jones explains:

“In 2008 Peugeot’s old HQ was leveled and an all-new Headquarters, called Pinley House, was built. Several hundred employees of Peugeot Motor Company PLC and its business owner PSA Peugeot Citroen are based there”.

Jones also went onto say that:

“Peugeot also has a parts distribution facility on Torrington Avenue, in Tile Hill, and a franchised dealer on the Fletchamstead Highway (A45) with Robins & Day”.

As well as Robins and Day there are also 31 other dealers that sell Peugeots in and around Coventry, so the city’s motoring legacy lives on.