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.
Comments
It is finally coming !(in saloon form but i’m not complaining)
And much less power
Ooh NOICE
Finally something coming from the development of the 308 R hybrid!
So, not the 500hp version?
Sad
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.
I don’t think posh is the word you are looking for, a Jaguar is posh.
The 508 is the typical uber car in France because of the black saloon image :/
Perfect car.
Antonio Sić 🇭🇷 (DBS SL) (Senna Fanatic) (Avril Lavigne ❤️) (Ducati Squad) YEEEEEEE
Y E S
YAAAAAAAS
Welp.. I’ll never see one