A few months after its unveiling, the outgoing
Peugeot 308 won Car of the Year in Europe. This was a huge achievement for the
French brand and its compact hatchback. Today, the 308 is six years old.
By modern standards, that’s close to retirement, and it’s been reported that a
new generation is expected next year. Until then, KleberSilva gave it a shot at
trying to imagine how it might look like, by taking the current iteration and
applying a new 208-inspired face to it, albeit with slender headlights and a
smaller grille.
The new 308 will ride on an evolution of the EMP2
architecture and will be available with an assortment of petrol engines and at
least one diesel – the 1.5-liter BlueHDi. Since the subcompact 208 is offered
as an -electric, the 308 could follow suit. A plug-in hybrid powertrain,
probably the one used in the new 3008 and 508, might also be on the cards.
The interior is thought to be jammed with all sorts
of features, including seats with massage and ventilation and a digital
instrument cluster. These will likely be reserved for the higher specs, along
with a Level 2 autonomous driving system that should take some of the weight
off the driver’s shoulders in congested traffic, whereas the improved Park
Assist will make parking easier.
In any case, the new 308 is going to have its hands
full, as Ford has already rolled out an improved Focus and VW is getting ready
to launch the new, eighth-gen Golf, to name but two of its main rivals.
