Shanghai show: Peugeot previews hot 308 R Hybrid concept

PEUGEOT has released images of its high-performance 308 R Hybrid three-door hot-hatch concept powered by a combination of petrol and electricity, and producing up to 299kW and 730Nm.

The concept heads to next week’s Shanghai motor show as Peugeot continues to push the 308 S hatch onto a sedan-loving Chinese public. It is built in its Wuhan plant in partnership with Dongfeng, alongside a localised version of the 508.

The Australian 308’s hottest performer is a 151kW GT version of the 2014 European Car of the Year, but Peugeot Automobiles Australia PR and communications manger Tyson Bowen said the concept – built by Peugeot Sport in Velizy, France – did not point towards a particular product.

“The concept is certainly a pointer to 308 as a vehicle, but there’s nothing on a production front as this stage,” he said. A GTi version of the car has been mooted for release in 2016.

The 308 R Hybrid sits on an 80mm wider track than the standard car, and is fitted with 19-inch alloys wearing 235/35 R19 tyres. A heavily revised nose and bonnet, as well as a reprofiled rear bumper, aids with cooling and airflow.

The interior has been made over, too, and features four leather-clad buckets in an arrangement Peugeot calls the i-cockpit. Its dash is covered in fabric with no foam underneath to save weight.

Powered by the same 199kW 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine that’s used in the RCZ R coupe, the 308 R also employs a pair of 85kW electric motors one attached to the gearbox and one mounted on the rear axle.

This layout gives the 308 all-wheel-drive capabilities, despite having no propshaft connecting the two axles. A lithium-ion battery is mounted under the rear seats, while a reprofiled 50-litre fuel tank is mounted in the boot, along with two transformers.

A six-speed gearbox is mentioned, along with a reference to paddles behind the steering wheel, but it’s not known if this refers to a conventional auto or a dual-clutch transmission.

Peugeot says the concept incorporates four hybrid driving modes, including Hot Lap, Track, Road and ZEV. In its fastest, most potent form, the R Hybrid uses all three power sources to produce a staggering 299kW and 730Nm, good for a 0-100km/h time of four seconds flat.

Track mode winds the dial back to 294kW and 530Nm, and uses mainly the petrol engine and rear electric motor, though the front motor will kick in under acceleration. Road mode winds the dial back further to 221kW and 400Nm of torque, using just the rear motor and petrol engine.

ZEV mode, meanwhile, turns the 308 R Hybrid into a full EV. No range figures are provided, but Peugeot says it can be recharged in 45 minutes. The hybrid system also incorporates regenerative braking.