Everything wasn’t better in the past, though some things lasted longer. For example, car models: It was not uncommon for generations of skilled workers to screw together almost identical sheet metal for decades. Nearly over: Today, manufacturers can no longer simply continue to build a car like the Citroën 2CV (41 years) or the VW Beetle (65 years).
The environment and safety requirements change too quickly, as do customers’ demands. Nevertheless, they still exist: cars that continue to be built somewhere in the world even after decades. And in one case, we didn’t have to travel far for our nostalgia trip around the world: one of the endurance burners comes from Western Europe.
In the last few years, we have lost a few endurance burners. For the first time in 40 years, Mercedes unveiled a new G Class model in 2018, while Suzuki brought a new Jimny after 20 years. And Land Rover is dropping the Defender, and Lada is developing a successor to the Niva/4×4 (since 1976). Others models are still fresh off the production line. In the following, we will take a look at some of the oldest cars which are still being produced somewhere in the world!
A real enduring classic is the Peugeot 206. Even though its successor, Peugeot 207, came onto the market in 2006, Peugeot continued to build the 206 in France until 2013, in Argentina until 2016. It still comes off the production line in Iran today. By tradition, the company maintains close relations with the country and with the manufacturer Iran Khodro. It builds the small car as a hatchback and notchback (Peugeot 206 SD) and sells it in several Arab countries. The car manufacturer specializes in assembling imported CKD (“knock-down kit”) kits.
In order to make the Peugeot 206 “attractive for Iranian families,” the automaker says it has created more space in the rear. Power is provided by a 1.6-liter gasoline engine with 105 hp. Equipment includes ABS, central locking, a radio, parking sensors and 14-inch steel wheels. A multifunction steering wheel and an exterior thermometer are available at extra cost.
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Besides the Peugeot 206, Iran Khodro also produces the Peugeot 405 sedan and the Peugeot 207, plus the first Peugeot 2008, which went on sale in Europe a few years ago. Here’s how the manufacturer promotes the latter: “The best Peugeot car built in Iran in recent years.”
