Peugeot 504 Cabriolet

Some car models don't know when to give up. Think of the Landrover Defender, Volkswagen Beetle, Mercedes G-Class and the Toyota Land Cruiser. Cars that cannot be taken off the streets, a dream of every car manufacturer. At some point the development costs are out of the equation and you only have to cough up the production costs. To achieve this, it must be a very good car. Not every car can be kept in production for 15 years. The Peugeot 504 was a hit at the Paris Salon in 1968. An extremely well designed and developed car with a solid base; engine lengthwise in front and rear wheel drive. Besides the sportier driving experience, also more balance. A successful successor to the 404, which had been in production since 1960. A year after its launch, the 504 was awarded the (then very prestigious) Car of the Year title.

To extend the shelf life of a model, there must be many successful variants. This is something that the Peugeot 504 also succeeded in doing. Ultimately, the 504 was offered as a Coupe, Cabriolet, Break, Pickup, Dangel (4×4) and as an Ambulance (the Loisirs).

In this article we will take a closer look at the Cabriolet. We have in our possession a beautiful 504 Cabrio, finished in Rouge Ecarlate. The body was designed by Pininfarina and it shows! The convertible is a model of understated elegance, something that seems to be a bit lost in 2019. In addition to its Italian design, the 504 convertible really does have some Italian blood; it came off the same factory line as the Alfa Romeo Spider 'Duetto'. Another unusual fact: the ones sold in New Zealand were assembled there by rival Renault!

Technically, the Cabrio is largely identical to the Berline, although the wheelbase (15 cm shorter) differs considerably. The 2.0 liter engine with injection it shares with the 504 Ti. From 1970 to 1974, the 4 pitter was dropped and replaced by the PRV V6 engine, a block developed by Renault, Volvo and Peugeot themselves. This was also used in the Delorian DMC-12. After long insistence by enthusiasts, in 1974 the four-cylinders were again supplied in the Cabrios. After 1978, the PRV V6 was even dropped and could only be found in the Coupe.

In the end, just over 3 million 504s were delivered in Europe. Why are they hardly on the streets anymore? Export. Because also in the countries in Africa the car is very popular because of its simple technique and reliability. It is almost the French version of the Mercedes W123. A bottle of Dreft on wheels; it lasts longer, much longer!

This 504 is from 1980 and is in truly top condition. The Peugeot has been in the Netherlands since 2007 and has the necessary documentation.