PHEV to lead new Peugeot 308 down under

PEUGEOT Australia has confirmed that its new-gen 308 will go on sale throughout the last quarter of this 12 months. 

The French marque’s compact automobile won’t solely be accessible in hatchback and wagon guises, however the vary will in the end be headed by a plug-in hybrid variant. 

It’s been greater than a 12 months for the reason that third-gen Peugeot 308 made its world debut; on the time, the French providing was anticipated to reach Down Below in Q1 2022, however owing to quite a few elements, the mannequin – the primary to bear the model’s new coat of arms – will now debut on the finish of the 12 months.

The preliminary line-up will comprise the 308 GT Hatch, 308 GT Premium Hatch and 308 GT Premium Wagon, however subsequent 12 months will see the native introduction of the 308 GT Sport Plug-In Hybrid flagship.

The distinctively styled 308 is predicated on the Stellantis Group’s shared Environment friendly Modular Platform (EMP2) and is 110mm longer than its predecessor, but it surely has a 20mm decrease roofline and, courtesy of its stretched 2675mm wheelbase, provides further rear occupant area and a 412-litre load bay. 

The brand new mannequin’s front-end styling is notably sharper, replete with a plunging bonnet line, slimline LED headlights (built-in into the perimeters of the daring graphic grille), in addition to fang-like LED daytime working lights – that graphic is, in fact, complemented with “three-claw” LED tail-light clusters.

The three inner combustion engine (ICE) variants will probably be powered by a 96kW/230Nm 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine, paired with an eight-speed automated transmission.

Nonetheless, the 308 GT Sport Hatch Plug-In Hybrid – which is prone to be the one plug-in hybrid automobile within the small hatchback phase as soon as the Ioniq PHEV variant is discontinued – will mix a 132kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with an 81kW electrical motor, mated to an e-EAT8 automated transmission, offering a mixed 165kW/360Nm.

As GoAuto reported final 12 months, when the PHEV’s 12.4kWh high-voltage battery is absolutely charged it facilitates a claimed all-electric driving vary of as much as 60km (European producer’s declare).

The inside takes on a really comparable theme to the outside, with loads of straight strains, harsh angles, and sharp contours. The dashboard of Peugeot’s i-Cockpit rises excessive into the motive force’s eyeline with the steering wheel mounted comparatively low in relation to the digital instrument cluster.

One notable omission from the cabin is a traditional transmission lever – it has been substituted for a push button-style selector mounted under the infotainment system and begin button.

To match the 308’s elegant new cabin is an prolonged checklist of options, lots of which can be supplied right here, together with adaptive cruise management with stop-go perform, long-range blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a high-definition 180-degree reversing digicam and 360-degree parking help, keyless entry and begin, a heated multifunction steering wheel, and auto-dipping wing mirrors.

Commonplace security options on the brand new 308 ought to embody a full array of airbags, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and bicycle owner detection, collision warning, lane-keep help, driver-attention alert, automated excessive beam, traffic-sign recognition, and an electrical parking brake.

“We’re delighted to welcome the Peugeot 308 vary to the Australian market,” Peugeot Australia managing director, Kate Gillis, mentioned in an announcement. 

“The vary has been fastidiously thought-about to offer a robust providing for Australian customers on the lookout for dynamic and trendy design, an pleasurable and handy driving expertise and enhanced know-how throughout each electrified and turbocharged ICE powertrains,” Ms Gillis added.

Additional info, together with specification and pricing, will probably be accessible nearer to launch, however within the meantime, potential prospects can register their curiosity for the brand new Peugeot 308 on-line.