Skip advert
Advertisement

Peugeot 308 R close to sign-off

Development work on the Peugeot 308 R has begun, set to rival the Volkswagen Golf GTI

Peugeot 308 R concept frankfurt 2013

The all-new Peugeot 308 R hot hatch is set to crown the new Peugeot 308 range when it is put into production. We first saw the Volkswagen Golf GTI rival at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2013 in concept form, but it won’t be long before we see it on the road.

Advertisement - Article continues below

• Peugeot 308 review

Pierre Budar, Manager for Sporty and Individual Models at Peugeot Sport, told us “There’s no official sign-off on the 308 R. However, you can expect it to proceed and discussions are quite advanced.”

Once the Peugeot 308 R is given the green light, however, getting it from the concept shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show to reality isn’t likely to take long.

Peugeot Sport boss Bruno Famin added, “We use our motorsport skills and bring them to a production car. So we’re a small team but with lots of experience of working quickly.”

The 308 R will use the same 266bhp 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the RCZ R. In that car it delivers a 5.9-second 0-62mph time – half-a-second quicker than the Performance Pack version of the Golf GTI.

The new Peugeot RCZ R was given the green light for production in June 2012, and took less than 18 months to develop despite requiring a completely reengineered powertrain and chassis.

As the engine will be carried over to the 308 R, this should cut development time considerably, although much of work that has gone into the RCZ R was in honing the car’s setup on tracks near Peugeot Sport’s base on the outskirts of Paris.

• Peugeot RCZ review

A Peugeot spokesman added it’s unlikely that the GTi badge will be used for the finished 308 flagship, to help distance it from its most obvious rival, the VW Golf GTI.

However, while the 208 GTi is one of the more civilised models in its class, if the 308 R follows the RCZ R’s motorsport-inspired direction, it’s likely to be closer to the Renault Megane RS 265 in ethos.

As well as the potent engine, it’ll include a Torsen limited slip diff, 30mm wider tracks, 26mm lower suspension and 19-inch alloys wrapped with specially developed tyres. Upgraded brakes sourced from Alcon will also feature.

Peugeot Sport develops road cars sporadically in addition to building customer racing cars, including the new Peugeot 208 R5 T16, and one-off specials like the 208 driven by Sebastian Loeb to set a new Pike’s Peak hillclimb record earlier this year.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Car Deal of the Day: enjoy the Peugeot 308 for 10,000 miles a year at an astounding £157 a month
308 vs Ceed vs Golf - 308 cornering front
News

Car Deal of the Day: enjoy the Peugeot 308 for 10,000 miles a year at an astounding £157 a month

Our Car Deal of the Day for 5 March is the debonair Peugeot 308 with a plentiful mileage limit
5 Mar 2024
Car Deal of the Day: striking Peugeot 308 family hatchback for only £199 a month
New Peugeot 308 diesel - full front
News

Car Deal of the Day: striking Peugeot 308 family hatchback for only £199 a month

The 308 is a sharp dresser in the family hatchback segment, and our Car Deal of the Day for 24 January
24 Jan 2024
New Peugeot E-308 2023 review
Peugeot E-308 GT - front
Road tests

New Peugeot E-308 2023 review

The new Peugeot E-308 carries over the strength of its combustion-engined sibling, but it looks expensive compared to its rivals
10 Oct 2023
New all-electric Peugeot E-308 priced from £40,050
Peugeot E-308 - front tracking white
News

New all-electric Peugeot E-308 priced from £40,050

Peugeot’s stylish all-electric E-308 hatchback is priced from £255 more than the Vauxhall Astra Electric
20 Sep 2023

Most Popular

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax documentation
News

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay

Drivers with newer cars will now pay £10 more per year, although the biggest gas guzzlers fare even worse
28 Mar 2024
Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power
Dacia Sandero - front
News

Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power

Both the Sandero and Sandero Stepway ranges have been tweaked, gaining more safety features to meet the latest regulations
26 Mar 2024
Car Deal of the Day: updated Skoda Enyaq at 0% APR and a free home wallbox charger thrown in
Skoda Enyaq iV - front cornering
News

Car Deal of the Day: updated Skoda Enyaq at 0% APR and a free home wallbox charger thrown in

Skoda’s family-friendly EV with 348-mile range is our Car Deal of the Day for 26 March
26 Mar 2024