Peugeot 404 History

Introduced in May 1960 and styled by Pininfarina, the Peugeot 404 was a roomy, refined rear-drive family car that replaced the 403. It blended understated elegance with mechanical toughness in a way that made it a genuine export success across Africa, Asia, and South America.

The 404 earned a near-legendary reputation for durability. In Kenya it was nicknamed 'Simba' and became the default taxi and bush vehicle; it also recorded four victories in the World Cup Cross-Country Rally against far more powerful machinery. French production ran 1960–1975, totalling over 1.8 million units, with assembly continuing in some markets into the 1980s.