The Peugeot 402 is a family car produced in Sochaux, France from 1935 to 1942 by Peugeot. It was unveiled in Paris Motor Show in 1935, replacing the Peugeot 401.
The 402 was characterized by what became during the 1930s a "typically Peugeot" front end, with headlights well set back behind the grille. The style of the body was reminiscent of the Chrysler Airflow, and received in France the soubriquet Fuseau Sochaux which loosely translates as "Sochaux rocket". Streamlining was a feature of French car design in the 1930s, as can be seen by comparing the Citroën Traction Avant or some of the Bugatti models of the period with predecessor models: Peugeot was among the first volume manufacturers to apply streamlining to the extent exemplified by the 402 and smaller Peugeot 202 in a volume market vehicle range.
Recessed ‘safety’ door handles also highlighted the car’s innovative aspirations, as did the advertised automatic transmission and diesel engine options. Comparisons with Citroën's large family car of the time were and remain unavoidable. In that comparison, the basic underpinnings of the 402 remained conventional, based on known technologies, and presumably were relatively inexpensive to develop and manufacture: it was Citroën that in 1934 had been forced to sell its car manufacturing business to its largest creditor. Sticking to a traditional separate chassis configuration also made it much easier for Peugeot's 402 to be offered with a wide range of different bodies.
Even by 1930s standards, the range of different 402 models based on the single chassis was large, comprising by one estimate sixteen different body types, from expensive steel bodied convertible cars, to family saloons which were among the most spacious produced in France. There were three different standard wheelbases of 2,880 mm (113 in) (short), 3,150 mm (124 in) (used on the standard 4,850 mm (191 in) long saloon) and 3,300 mm (130 in) (long).
The standard bodied saloon, first presented at the Paris Motor Show in the Autumn of 1935 was advertised as a six-seater. As volume production got under way, the range was complemented by coupe and cabriolet versions. A lengthened wheelbase supported the eight-seater 402 Familiale with dickey seats.
The car was launched with a four-cylinder water-cooled engine of 1991 cc with poppet valve. Claimed maximum output was 55 PS (40 kW) at 4000 rpm. With 55 PS (40 kW) the car could achieve top speed of 120 km/h (75 mph).[2] In 1938 the capacity was raised to 2142 cc with the introduction of the Peugeot 402B, stated output now being 60 PS (44 kW). Given the wide range of body lengths and styles offered, there was and is correspondingly wide range of different performance figures quoted for the standard-engined 402.
Other engine versions existed, with a claimed output of 70 bhp (52 kW) for a Darl'mat bodied performance coupe version.
A 2.3 L Diesel engine was also developed which would have made the 402 one of the very first diesel saloons available commercially: approximately twelve diesel 402s were constructed but the outbreak of war prevented the introduction of the 402 diesel to the market. The development work was not wasted, however, and in 1959 Peugeot would launch one of the world's earlier diesel powered saloons, albeit beaten to the market by Mercedes Benz.
