The Peugeot car company is hoping its new 307 model will help it reach the 10% UK market share figure for the first time.
The new French-built car - a replacement for the popular 306 - goes on sale in the UK on June 12 and is already in British showrooms.
Peugeot expects to sell 34,500 of the 307s in the UK this year, with the figure rising to 80,000 in 2002.
Peugeot sales, boosted by the 206 model being made at Ryton in Coventry, currently account for more than 8% of UK car sales.
The 307 has much to live up to, as the 306 has been the best-selling Peugeot, with more than 2.7 million produced since its launch in February 1993. More than 420,000 306s have been sold in the UK.
A Peugeot spokesman said: "More than 1,000 new 307s have already been ordered and we are hoping the car will be just as successful at the 306 and push our market share up to 10% in the UK."
Prices for the 307 start at £10,860 for the 1.4 litre-engined three-door model and rise to £15,560 for the sporty five-door 2.0-litre XSi version.