A Peugeot 508 R Is On The Way With Well Over 300bhp

Peugeot is reported to be cooking up a performance hybrid version of the 508 R, which will rival the Audi S4
A Peugeot 508 R Is On The Way With Well Over 300bhp

Want something like a Mercedes C43 or Audi S4 that’s just a bit less German? With the Jaguar XE S being killed off in Europe recently, your options are limited. The Kia Stinger GT is a tempting alternative, but there’s set to be a new contender to the realm of sporty-ish compact saloons, and it’s coming from Peugeot.

Citing an insider source, Motoring reports that the French firm is “readying” a hot, all-wheel drive ‘508 R’, but unlike most of its intended rivals, it won’t be powered by a six-cylinder engine. Nope, it’ll use a 1.6-litre inline-four.

But the turbocharged four-banger has backup in the form of electricity - it’ll be a hybrid. Motoring’s insider refrained from giving a specific power output but did hint that the 308 R will go well beyond the 296bhp managed by the 3008 Hybrid4. That vehicle teams a 1.6-litre producing 197bhp with a pair of electric motors - a setup that’s expected to be used for the 508. The 508 does currently have a hybrid option, but it’s a less potent one using only a single motor for a total system output of 224bhp.

Peugeot design boss Gilles Vidal gave credence to the rumours at the Paris Motor Show, telling the Australian publication that: “We will have sportier versions of the 508, the hybrid 3008 will have 300hp and at some point probably even more, so we’ll have a performance version.”

As far as the name goes, it’s looking highly likely that ‘R’ will be used rather than ‘GTI’. “You couldn’t name this a GTI,” Vidal said, adding, “It relates to small cars like the 208 and 308. It sounds funny to put a badge like this on a big car”. That’s certainly true in the modern context, although it is worth pointing out Peugeot did once make a 505 GTI. But hey, that was back in the 80s, when it was cool to stick a GTI badge on everything.

R, on the other hand, has only a limited history for Peugeot. Its sole usage for a production vehicle remains the now discontinued RCZ R, a car we were always quite fond of. Here’s hoping the 508 R ends up being as exciting to drive.

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Comments

5:19.55

It is finally coming !(in saloon form but i’m not complaining)

10/09/2018 - 14:52 |
74 | 0

And much less power

10/09/2018 - 15:16 |
8 | 2
Anonymous

Ooh NOICE

10/09/2018 - 14:58 |
28 | 0
Anonymous

Finally something coming from the development of the 308 R hybrid!

10/09/2018 - 15:05 |
4 | 0
Anonymous

So, not the 500hp version?
Sad

10/09/2018 - 15:08 |
8 | 0
Racing Prius (No Character limit aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
10/09/2018 - 16:28 |
28 | 0
Tomislav Celić

I saw one of these and sat in it. I was disappointed. It doesn’t feel premium, it’s just posh (hope that’s the word). However that would probably be because I was too hyped for it.

The R version might get my interest back in this car.

10/09/2018 - 17:17 |
6 | 2

I don’t think posh is the word you are looking for, a Jaguar is posh.

10/09/2018 - 20:50 |
0 | 0

The 508 is the typical uber car in France because of the black saloon image :/

10/10/2018 - 00:49 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Perfect car.

10/09/2018 - 18:15 |
60 | 0
maurotehsilva

YAAAAAAAS

10/09/2018 - 19:19 |
2 | 2
ZachCoulter09

Welp.. I’ll never see one

10/11/2018 - 10:46 |
0 | 0