| The Peugeot Family has been in business in some | | | | eventually became a major manufacturer of arms and |
| form or another since the seventeen hundreds. From | | | | military vehicles throughout the remainder of the war. |
| the production of coffee to bicycles in the early part of | | | | Once the allies were victorious, the focus once again |
| the twentieth century, automobiles would be the next | | | | turned to car production. |
| big thing to come along. | | | | The French car company entered the United States |
| The company produced its first automobile in 1889. | | | | market in 1958 with the Peugeot 404. Peugeot was |
| The car was steam powered and had three wheels. | | | | never able to find its niche in American society and for |
| However, steam proved to be unwieldy and | | | | the most part consumers simply ignored the brand. |
| cumbersome for use in any personal passenger | | | | After several attempts to pique the curiosity of the |
| vehicles. After meeting with Gottlieb Daimler, Armand | | | | American car buyer, Peugeot decided to cut its losses |
| Peugeot decided that the gasoline internal combustion | | | | and withdrew from the American market. This did not |
| engine was much more suited to what he had in mind. | | | | exclude the company from going after American car |
| Peugeot acquired a license from Daimler to use their | | | | manufacturers in Europe, however. In 1978, the |
| engines in Peugeot vehicles. Cars produced by the | | | | company took over Chrysler Europe. Chrysler |
| French company would remain powered by Daimler | | | | Corporation was suffering from heavy financial losses |
| engines until the first Peugeot engines were developed | | | | both at home and abroad and accepted the offer to |
| in 1896. | | | | take the ailing division off its hands almost immediately. |
| Just as it had always been, Peugeot continued to | | | | Earlier in 1974, Peugeot had also acquired Citroen and |
| produce a variety of products up through the turn of | | | | for a brief period had interest in Maserati as well. The |
| the twentieth century when Armand Peugeot formed | | | | acquisition of so much debt so quickly proved nearly to |
| his own company to focus exclusively on automobile | | | | be the undoing of Peugeot in the early eighties. The |
| manufacturing. | | | | introduction of the popular Peugeot 205 was credited |
| Peugeot would become an early influence on car | | | | with the company's recovery from the brink of |
| racing in Europe and would remain a power in this | | | | financial ruin. While the 205 was able to save the |
| arena for years to come. Around the time of World | | | | company from complete collapse, Peugeot was still |
| War 1, Armand decided to try his handed at | | | | experiencing some financial stress. |
| motorcycles. His family had longed produced some of | | | | For the future, Peugeot has announced a goal of |
| the finest bicycles in Europe. Armand was just as | | | | selling 4 million units annually. In order to accomplish this, |
| successful at motorcycles as his family had been with | | | | the French car manufacturer has plans of pursuing |
| bicycles and the Peugeot Auto Company has | | | | some of the more exotic markets in the world such as |
| produced motorcycles every since. | | | | China, Russia and South America. Due to the |
| Once Europe became embroiled in World War I, | | | | weakening of the U.S. Dollar, there has been some talk |
| Peugeot, just as most other manufacturers of the time, | | | | of a return to the American market. At this point, that |
| turned their attention to the war efforts. They | | | | may well be speculation only. |