New Peugeot Metropolis gets its claws into the Piaggio MP3

Peugeot’s littlest lions is roaring again after it revealed the fresh new Metropolis three-wheeler, its first major launch since being brought under the umbrella of Indian industry giants Mahindra & Mahindra.

The latest in a growing number of fresh ‘trikes’ hitting the market, the new Peugeot Metropolis is targeted firmly at the recently-launched Yamaha Tricity 300 and the granddaddy of the them all, the Piaggio MP3.

Indeed, when the Piaggio MP3 was launched back in 2006 with three-wheels on its ‘trike’, you had to go a long way back for the last time a scooter had generated so much opinion and debate, not least whether it could really be classified as a motorcycle.

But while you may baulk at the idea of riding a ‘two-front, one rear’ type of scooter, with the Piaggio MP3 market share growing annually as it cements itself as one of Europe’s best selling runarounds and Yamaha bringing some sizeable updates to the new Tricity, the sales charts suggest the Metropolis can expect an increased slice of three-wheeled pie.

It’s certainly a more striking beast than its predecessor, on sale since 2014, with the more angular, sharper styling certainly akin to some rather stylish, executive models rolling off its four-wheel line at the moment. ​

With fang-like headlights that live up to the lion motif on its nose and claw-print rear lamps that owe more than a hint to the new Peugeot 208, its clear Mahindra-helmed Peugeot is hoping to inject a bit more style and funk its venerable scooter range.

Under that fresh new skin is an updated 400cc now-Euro5 compliant engine labelled ‘PowerMotion’ generating 35.6hp and reaches a claimed top speed of 89mph, no doubt urged along by the benefit of extra stability.

You can have your Peugeot Metropolis in snow white, midnight blue, Amazonite satin blue or mat black, all for a base price of €9,699.

Could Peugeot branch up into motorcycles again?

With Mahindra now in charge, there is talk that Peugeot could well expand the well-known brand name to include a range of small displacement motorcycles. 

The 400cc engine found in the Metropolis can reportedly be upped to 500cc, which coupled to the ease of manufacturing in India, could give Peugeot an opportunity to expand.

It’s easy to forget Peugeot is one of the world’s oldest motorcycle marques having begun production way back in 1898, while it has even dabbled in fully-faired - albeit low power - models in the last 20 years or so.

However, as recently as 2018 it has toyed with the idea of bigger, more powerful models as demonstrated by the 300cc P2RX Cafe Racer revealed at the Paris Motor Show in 2018, which appeared to show the influence Mahindra had on the brand then merely as a shareholder. 

As the full owner, it’s possible we could see Peugeot gunning for the likes KTM in the not too distant future...