Like most European mass produced cars, their best long term durability days were those made from the 80's to the late 90's, after that cars became increasingly reliant on computers and increasingly complex linked electronics and customers bought them by the million, look at problematic modern Diesels for the perfect example.

No i don't expect the next generation to be any better long term prospects, quite the opposite, but they will be increasingly clever, filled with all sorts of toys to tempt those who like that sort of thing, and will fulfill all your dreams on paper regarding performance and fantastic economy (not as those two will ever go together but people believe what they are told), they will cover the warranty period with relative ease, well except for clutches which arn't covered so don't need to last 100k miles.

The few exceptions to this trend are i suspect the better Japanese makers, Toyota Honda Subaru who stand by their product often long after warranty has expired, and the increasingly competent Korean makers.

As far as I'm aware, the new C4 and the forthcoming 308 share the same, existing platform - the roots of which go right back to the 306/ZX/Xsara days.

PSA models which share this or the extended version of this platform are: 307, 308, 3008, RCZ, C4, C4 II, DS4; extended - 307SW, C4 Picasso, 2008 Berlingo/Partner, 308SW, 5008, 408 (Chinese market), DS5.

Don't think PSA have the money to develop anything new by themselves - future models are supposedly going to be co-developed with GM.