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Peugeot 308 R HYbrid :: French hyper-hatch testing

Remember the brutal petrol-electric Peugeot 308 R HYbrid concept first shown in April this year, which paired a 201kW petrol engine with two electric motors to yield a total of 373kW/730Nm?


Well, it appears this was anything but pie-in-the-sky thinking, if a few images posted on Twitter by Peugeot CEO Maxime Picat are anything to go by. It might just enter production, though nothing is official. Why else show a disguised car, when we've seen the concept already? 

In thoroughly modern and open fashion, Picat today posted two images of a 308 R HYbrid test mule with none other than PSA chairman Carlos Tavares in the frame.

“Looks like #Peugeot308RHYbrid is ready to move! Today our CEO Carlos Tavares enjoyed its radical performance!” Picat said.

You can read the full story here, but the 308 R Hybrid concept sported a 201kW 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine powering the front wheels (the same engine used in the all-new 308 GTi revealed earlier this month), and an 85kW electric motor allied to a six-speed automated transmission and a 3kW lithium-ion battery. Along the rear axle there was another 85kW electric engine.

This set-up delivered a maximum output of 373kW of power and 730Nm of torque in Hot Lap mode. In Track mode, the 308 R HYbrid concept was throttled back to 298kW/530Nm, generated primarily by the petrol engine and rear electric motor. With the car set to Road mode, output was said to be restrained to 224kW/400Nm.

With everything working together in Hot Lap mode, the 308 R HYbrid concept was said to be able to complete the 0-100km/h dash in a supercar-esque 4.0 seconds. Peugeot also claimed a fuel economy figure of 3.0L/100km.

We don’t know yet whether any potential production 308 R HYbrid would sport this full-fat petrol-electric powertrain. French site Feline seems to suggest one option might be the 201kW engine with one of the 85kW electric motors rather than two.

It's also unclear whether the concept version's beefed-up bodykit could make it to production, given these latest images show a tamer design.

Even at the speculated rate — especially if the potential singular motor powered the rear axle and thereby gave the car all-wheel-drive abilities — it could make a fabulous French foil to a new breed of hyper-hatches such as the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG, Audi RS3, Ford Focus RS and Volkswagen Golf R400.

What do you think? Could Peugeot just be crazy enough to actually make this?

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