Though the Peugeot->ke68 308->ke2264 R Hybrid is just a concept car,->ke169 it’s pretty amazing how quickly this performance hybrid->ke147 stuff has begun to trickle down from hypercars->ke177 to high-volume vehicles.->ke1051 With a combined output of 500 horsepower between a gas engine and two electric->ke1030 motors, the 308 Hybrid R has as much power as a 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and Peugeot could see this type of hybrid technology as a key to retaking its place on top of the very competitive French hot-hatch->ke304 segment.

Peugeot dominated the European hot-hatch scene in the 1990s with cars like the 205 GTi and 106 Rallye. Fantastic cars by the accounts of our (older) counterparts in Europe, but then the company decided to refocus its efforts on building dull people-moving appliances that appeal more to accountants than Juha Kankkunen wannabes (In case that reference is a bit too obscure, Kankkunen won the WRC in a Peugeot 205 T16 in 1986). Since then, French compatriot rival Renault->ke72 has become the go-to purveyor of fast, French hatchbacks. The question now is, can hybrid powertrains help Peugeot take back a genre it helped define?

Continue reading to learn more about the Peugeot 308 R Hybrid.

2015 Peugeot 308 R Hybrid

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 Peugeot 308 R Hybrid
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 493
  • Torque: 539
Pros
Cons

Exterior

Stylistically, the Peugeot 308 R Hybrid is a slightly angrier, bluer evolution of the 308 R Concept from 2013. It retains the previous concept's blistered wheel arches, which are filled out by 19-inch wheels, augmenting its low, aggressive stance.

The new front fascia gets larger, more-stylized air intakes framed by what Peugeot describes as a “white ceramic-look material.” There’s also a new checker patterned grill and sizable “308 R” lettering on the lower grill. The rear half of the 308 R Hybrid is painted matte black, and its also where you’ll find a new rear fascia that echoes the front, with a small rear diffuser and single exhaust exit on the right.

Despite all the nifty additions, it’s hard to hide the base 308’s tubby proportions. It’s a fairly large (by European standards) and not particularly good-looking family five door. It seems like an odd starting point for a performance hatchback, especially when there’s the newer, and arguably better-looking 208.->ke3444

Interior

Inside, the first thing you notice are the bolstered sport seats, which Peugeot says are finished in a fawn-colored patinated leather, but in pictures, they have an almost copper look that harks back to Peugeot’s 2012 Onyx concept car and its copper bodywork.

The dash and door panels are covered with a fabric Peugeot says is created using a “digital weaving technique,” and claims this new material can be used to fashion more complex parts and eliminates the need for foam, which reduces weight.

The rest of the interior looks pretty much production ready. The perforated leather steering wheel is compact, with two paddles mounted behind controlling the six-speed gearbox. There’s also a head-up display to help keep your eyes on the road, and two buttons in the center console that control drivetrain settings, which brings us to…

Drivetrain

Here’s where things get really interesting. Primary power comes from a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder producing 270 horsepower — a hair-raising displacement-to-power ratio, even for a turbocharged engine. An electric motor is mounted to each axle, each producing 115 hp. Both the internal combustion engine and the front electric motor (which can also function as a generator) drive the front wheels through a six-speed gearbox, while the rear motor sends power directly to the axle.

To make room for the 3 kWh Lithium-ion battery, Peugeot Sport engineers moved the fuel tank from under the rear seats to the trunk area above the rear motor. Weight distribution is 60/40, front to rear. It’s likely to be a heavy vehicle, but despite that, the sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) is dispatched in just four seconds. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph (250 km/h), and the standing kilometer is completed in 22 seconds.

Four power modes are available. Hot Lap mode makes full use of the entire drivetrain to make the headline figure of 500 horsepower and 539 pound-feet of torque. The front electric motor kicks in under acceleration for an extra boost when exiting corners. Track mode works similar to Hot Lap mode, but reduces power to 400. Road Mode is more civilized and only uses the internal combustion engine and rear electric motor. Finally, ZEV uses just the electric motors, and because the 308 R Hybrid is a plug-in vehicle, this mode can be used almost exclusively if you park near a wall outlet.

Drivetrain Specifications

Type

1.6-liter THP four-cylinder with two electric motors

Combined output

493 HP

Combined torque

539 LB-FT

Top Speed

250 KM/H (155 MPH)

0 - 100 km/h (62 mph)

4.0 seconds


Prices

If the higher ups at Peugeot decided to shock the world and green light the 308 R Hybrid for production tomorrow, we would estimate a cost somewhere north of $60,000, or roughly three times the 308’s->ke2264 base cost in Europe. While we don’t expect that to happen, there’s a very good chance we’ll see a more reasonably priced hybrid hot-hatch from Peugeot soon.

Competition

2015 Volkswagen Golf R 400

It’s not a hybrid, but unlike the Peugeot 308 R HYbrid, Volkswagen’s->ke94 Golf R 400 has a real chance of going into production. There’s enormous demand for fast Golfs->ke164 right now. After going on sale in the U.S., the 2016 Golf R sold out in less than 12 hours. That’s a pretty airtight business case for the Golf R 400, even if it does cost a rumored $60,000.

In case you were unaware, the ‘400’ refers the amount of horsepower the high-strung 2.0-liter EA888 four cylinder produces, and it’s channeled through all four wheels. The lack of heavy batteries and electric motors means 0-60 in just 3.9 seconds. Plus, just look at this thing. It’s a Golf, but it also manages to strike the perfect balance of understated and "I’m going to knock your teeth out if you get too close to me" attitudes.

Read our full review of the model here.

2013 Toyota Yaris Hybrid-R Concept

The Yaris->ke354 Hybrid-R Concept takes technology honed in Toyota’s->ke88 hybrid Le Mans->ke1591 prototype racers->ke148 and shoehorns it into the company’s smallest car. The drivetrain found here is strikingly similar to the one you just read about in the Peugeot. A 1.6-liter four-cylinder drives the front wheels, and is bolstered by two electric motors. But here both electric motors are mounted in the rear, each powering one wheel. All together, the system makes 414 horsepower, which, for a Yaris, is fairly ludicrous.

Like the Peugeot (and as its name clearly states) it’s just a concept, but given Toyota’s expertise in battery and hybrid technology, it might not be long before we see a small car from Toyota that brings gasoline and electricity together in a sporty application.

Read our full review of the model here.

Conclusion

Peugeot has a bad habit of rolling out spectacular concept cars that couldn’t be less related to what customers find in the showroom. Pierre Public might not care, but it’s good way to lose faith among enthusiasts. Hopefully, things will be different this time. While we wouldn’t expect to see a Peugeot road car with 500 horsepower anytime soon, the 308 R Hybrid is a good indication that Peugeot is serious about getting back into the hot-hatch game and is willing to think outside the box to do so.