Dongfeng Peugeot is publicly reducing configuration but not lowering prices. Is this something or is there some other trick?

If it is a normal product, you get what you pay for, otherwise it would be deceiving consumers. The same is true for cars. If the configuration is luxurious, you can sell it at a higher price, and if the configuration is average, you can sell it at a cheaper price. However, Dongfeng Peugeot has made a big move this time. The official website of the 2018 308 and 3008 models publicly announced that the configuration has been reduced, and the price remains unchanged.

The two luxury versions of the 308 have been modified from the old models to eliminate the window top strips, chrome parts around the fog lights, chrome trims on the door handles, fabric + PVC stitching seats, glove box lights, and one-touch anti-pinch features for the front passenger and rear windows. The interior ceiling fabric of the fashion version has been changed to non-woven fabric. In addition, the premium version has also been modified to eliminate the window top strips, chrome parts around the fog lights, and glove box lights.

The new 3008 series models have eliminated the hot-stamped logo on the taillights, the middle headrest of the rear seats, the back panels of the front seats, and other configurations based on the old models. The front seat headrests have been changed from 4-way adjustment to 2-way adjustment. In addition, the classic version has also eliminated the front passenger sensor, door panel spray painting, anti-theft alarm, etc. The trendy version has eliminated the leather seats, electric adjustment of the front seats, lumbar support for the driver's seat, electric rearview mirrors, etc. The elegant version has also eliminated the comfort configurations such as electric adjustment of the front seats, lumbar support for the driver's seat, and heating of the front seats.

Looking at Dongfeng Peugeot's sales in 2017, the cumulative sales of Dongfeng Peugeot 3008 in 2017 was only 18,585 units, which means less than 2,000 units were sold per month, and the cumulative sales of Dongfeng Peugeot 308 in 2017 was only 55,929 units, which can be said to be not very good. If reducing the configuration without reducing the price is a disguised price increase, the sales of these two Dongfeng Peugeot models are still far from the point where the price increase is needed, and reducing the configuration without increasing the price is easy to cause misunderstandings, making consumers feel cheated, it is better to increase the price directly.

Speaking of reducing configuration, we can compare it with Japanese cars. It is very common for Japanese cars to reduce configuration, but after reducing configuration, the cost of configuration is put on the quality of the whole vehicle, and there are fewer minor problems. Moreover, they have never reduced configuration after listing. So, is Dongfeng Peugeot's reduction in configuration this time to ensure that the cost of reducing configuration is used to improve the quality of the subsequent vehicles produced?

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.