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 Latin America and much of Africa.
More than three million 504s were manufactured in its European production, with production continuing globally under various licensing arrangements – including 27,000 assembled in Kenya 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."
History Introduction 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. Much of its mechanics was based on those of the Peugeot 404, but new were the independent rear suspension and the disc brakes on all four wheels. 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.Allain, p. 15
The 504 was elected European Car of the Year in 1969, praised for its styling, build quality, chassis, ride, visibility, strong engine and refinement. 1969 was also when the 504 reached the Australian market.
The 504 Injection two-door coupé and two-door cabriolet were introduced at the Salon de Geneva in March 1969. 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. Unlike the saloons, the coupé and cabriolet received a floor shifter.Allain, pp. 22-23
Available models: 504 4-door saloon 504 Injection 4-door saloon 504 Injection 2-door coupé 504 Injection 2-door cabriolet
1970 The 504 received a new four-cylinder 1971 cc engine, rated at (carburated) and (fuel-injected). At the 1970 Paris Salon a four-cylinder 2112 cc diesel engine rated at was introduced.Allain, pp. 18-19 The 1796 cc petrol engine was no longer available in 504 saloons.
In September 1970 an estate ("Break") was presented, featuring a higher rear roof, lengthened wheelbase, and a solid rear axle with four coil springs instead of the saloon's independent rear suspension. It was joined by the 7-seat "Familiale", which had all its occupants facing forward in three rows of seats. The Break/Familiale/Commerciale did not actually go on sale until April the following year. The Break and Familiale both received the 2-liter petrol engine or 2.1 diesel as per the saloon, but the utilitarian "Commerciale" brought back the 1.8-litre four, now tuned down to . There was also a Commerciale diesel, using the , 1.95-liter XD88 from the 404 Diesel, enough for a top speed of . The Commerciale had a stripped down interior, with a different dashboard, no carpeting in the cargo area, and seats without headrests. It also received lightly reinforced suspension, single round headlights (seen again on pickups from 1979 on), missing chrome around the side windows, and some trim parts such as the rear view mirrors were painted rather than chromed.
In late 1970 an automatic option was added to the coupé and cabriolet - this was never a large seller and was not always available to the cabriolet but continued to be offered until 1983; in total about 2,500 of the two-door 504s received this transmission option.
Models 504 Commerciale 5-door utility wagon 504 4-door saloon/5-door Break/Familiale 504 Injection 4-door saloon 504 Commerciale Diesel 5-door utility wagon 504 Diesel 4-door saloon/5-door Familiale 504 Injection 2-door coupé 504 Injection 2-door cabriolet
1971 During 1971 the Break SL ("Super Luxe") was introduced, a better equipped version using the carburetted 2.0-liter engine. Unlike the regular wagons, the SL received metallic paint, plusher upholstery, and various other additional equipment.
1972 During the year, fuel injected 504 saloons changed to a floor-mounted shifter on cars equipped with the manual transmission as well. The 504 Commerciale dropped the round headlights in favor of the standard units.
1973 In April 1973, because of the oil crisis Peugeot presented the 504 L. It featured a coil sprung live rear axle and reintroduced the smaller 1796 cc engine, now rated at or for the L Automatique. The different rear axle required somewhat more space; this required some alterations to the floor pan which meant marginally less boot space and rear headroom. At around the same time, the lineup was revamped as listed below. Also new was the 1.95-litre 504 LD saloon, matching the Commerciale diesel although producing . The power of the Commerciale diesel dropped to at the same time. The L saloons can be recognized by the missing bumper overriders and inside by the simpler dashboard with horizontal instrument cluster. Also during 1973, the column shifters were replaced by floor mounted ones on all other 504 saloons than the L.
Models 504 L saloon (1.8 carb) 504 GL saloon (2.0 carb) 504 TI saloon (2.0 injection) 504 LD saloon (1.95 diesel) 504 GLD saloon (2.1 diesel) 504 Commerciale (1.8 carb) 504 Break/Break SL/Familiale (2.0 carb) 504 Commerciale Diesel (1.95 diesel) 504 Familiale Diesel (2.1 diesel) 504 Coupé (2.0 injection) 504 Cabriolet (2.0 injection)
1974 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 engine incorporated various innovative features such as an aluminium cylinder block, and a fuel-feed system that employed carburetors of differing type, one (type 34 TBIA) featuring a single chamber controlled directly according to the movement of the accelerator pedal, and the second being a twin chamber carburetor (type 35 CEEI) designed to operate simultaneously with the first, using a pneumatic linkage. Maximum output for the 504 coupé and cabriolet fitted with this new V6 engine was given as , supporting a top speed of . During 1975, the first full year of production, 2643 of these six-cylinder 504 coupés and cabriolet were produced, which was considered a respectable number although dwarfed by the 236,733 four-cylinder 504 berlines (saloons/sedans) and breaks (estates/station wagons) produced by Peugeot in France in the same year. Following the launch of the six-cylinder cars, the four-cylinder versions of the coupé and cabriolet 504s were delisted: they returned to the showrooms in 1978 in response, it was reported, to customer demand.
1975 The Break and Break SL were renamed L and GL.Allain, p. 41 The 504 TI received power windows in the rear as well.
1976 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.
1977 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.Allain, p. 53
1979 to 1983 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.
504 Coupé/Cabriolet As with the preceding 404, Peugeot had Pininfarina design a two-door coupé and cabriolet variant which were first introduced at the Geneva Salon in March 1969. Aside from designing them, Pininfarina also built the bodyshells. The two-door 504s have a shorter wheelbase and also a wider rear track. The shells were built in Turin and then sent to Peugeot's Sochaux plant for assembly.