The Peugeot 304 is a small family car produced by Peugeot from 1969 to 1980. It was shown at the Paris Motor Show in September 1969 and made extensive use of the smaller 204’s body and mechanical parts.
Peugeot 304 at a glance
| Production | 1969–1980 |
|---|---|
| Shown | Paris Motor Show, September 1969 |
| Tax class | 7 CV, between the 204 and the 404 |
| Engine | 1,288 cc all-alloy SOHC four-cylinder (XL3) |
| S engine (1972) | 75 hp, twin-choke carburettor |
| 1975 engines | 1,290 cc XL5, plus a 1,127 cc XK5 for the Break |
| Diesel | 1,357 cc from July 1976, 1,548 cc from July 1979 |
| Layout | front-wheel drive, transverse engine |
| Gearbox | four-speed below the engine, sharing its oil |
| Bodies | saloon, Break estate, coupé, cabriolet, fourgonnette |
History of the Peugeot 304
Filling a gap
Peugeot conceived the 304 after noticing a gap in the mid-size market in France, Italy and the rest of Western Europe. It used the middle section of the 204 to keep development costs low, and the car’s main competition at home came from Renault and Simca, with Citroën absent from the sector at the time. At its introduction only one model was offered, a four-door saloon with Super-Luxe equipment. The 304 sat in the 7CV tax class, one step above the 6CV 204 and well below the 9CV 404.
Engine range
The car was launched with an all-alloy single overhead cam 1,288 cc four-cylinder, the XL3, derived directly from the 1,130 cc XK3 of the 204. A more powerful S version with a twin-choke carburettor became an option on the coupé and cabriolet in March 1972, adding 10 hp for 75 hp, and reached the saloon in the autumn of that year. Detailed changes in 1975 raised torque and took the capacity to 1,290 cc as the XL5. After the 204 was discontinued, the 304 Break and fourgonnette were also offered with the 1,127 cc XK5 to cover the lower end of the market, and the 6CV versions were shown at Paris in 1976.
A 1,357 cc diesel became available on the saloon in July 1976 and on the estate and van two months later; in July 1979 a 1,548 cc diesel was added, the engine also used in early 305s. Although the diesel was offered for a little over three years, more than 120,000 diesel 304s were built. For the United States, the engine was detuned to a 7.5:1 compression ratio with a different carburettor; the federal version was built only from June 1970 to July 1972. In Greece the 304 saloon used the 204’s 1,130 cc engine to stay below a 1,200 cc tax threshold.
Body and chassis
The 304 slotted between the 204 and the 504. Its body used the central portion of the 204, and most engine and running gear parts were interchangeable, but the front grille and headlights were restyled to echo the 504. At the rear the saloon’s overhang was 13.5 cm longer than the 204’s, which allowed a larger boot; the estate and two-door models kept the shorter rear ends of their 204 equivalents. Coupé and cabriolet versions replaced the 204 cars in March 1970 and were the first to receive the S engine in March 1972. A Break estate appeared in September 1970 and the three-door fourgonnette only in September 1977.
The car had fully independent suspension and a four-speed gearbox below the engine sharing its oil, as in the 204 and 304, but with a floor change instead of the column lever. It also had front disc brakes and headlights that could be adjusted for left or right-hand drive. The saloon left the Sochaux lines in the summer of 1979 and the Break was built until the spring of 1980, when the 305 took over. Counting the 204 and 305 that used the same chassis, the design lasted about 24 years. Production of a 304-based car also took place in Argentina.
Design and features
- 204 midsection: the same centre body and many shared parts.
- Longer boot: 13.5 cm more rear overhang on the saloon than the 204.
- S engine: twin-choke carburettor, 75 hp, from 1972.
- Diesel: 1,357 cc and later 1,548 cc, over 120,000 built.
- Independent suspension: all round, with front disc brakes.
Peugeot 304 versions
- Saloon (1969): the original four-door in Super-Luxe trim.
- Break (1970): the estate, later also with the 1,127 cc engine.
- Coupé and cabriolet (1970): two-door models that replaced the 204 versions.
- S (1972): the twin-carburettor engine, first on the two-doors.
- Fourgonnette (1977): the panel van, a late replacement for the 204 van.
The 304 grew from the Peugeot 204, sat below the 504, and was replaced by the 305. More in the Peugeot collection.
Video: Peugeot 304 S GAZOLINE BAILLY PART II
Video by on YouTube.
Sources
- Peugeot 304, English Wikipedia: history, engines, running gear, bodies
