The most important car in Peugeot’s Coventry history faced its acid test when it went on general sale today.

The new 206 hatchback, the successor to the successful 205, was unveiled at the Motor Show to rave reviews last month and could bring more work to the company’s plant at Ryton-on-Dunsmore.

The factory will be producing 2,500 cars a day by the turn of the year and already has overseas orders of 130,000.

Six thousand British drivers have a new model reserved and the firm is expecting more orders to follow now that the public can get a closer look at the car.

The early success of the new model puts Peugeot at odds with competitors Rover and Ford who have all announced cutbacks in recent weeks.

Peugeot’s managing director Richard Parham said today:

"This is a very, very important car for the future of Ryton. Everyone has worked very, very hard over the last three years to ensure we won the investment decision to make the car at the Ryton plant.

"We have the opportunity because of the agreement we reached with our own workforce to increase our capacity by introducing a third shift at Ryton, if the car is successful and the market in which is competes is growing.

"That has been in our long-term plans but we will have to look at how successful the car is in the UK, Europe and globally and measure that carefully.

"We have worked very hard in the last couple of years to improve our productivity and we have eliminated that productivity gap between ourselves and the overseas factories. Everyone in the company has worked very hard and deserves congratulations for closing that gap.

"You can never be complacent about improving quality and introducing new products. Everyone has problems but if they are difficulties outside your control – with the economy for example – it is very hard."

Neil Sebright, sales manager of Peugeot dealer Phoenix, said the garage had been inundated with enquiries.