Peugeot is giving us a first glimpse at
the production model of their 508 Sport Engineered, a new high-performance
plug-in hybrid version of their fastback sedan. The French automaker shared a
handful of mages on their social media accounts, showcasing what the final
production version will look like. Peugeot had a “concept” version of the 508
Sport Engineered on display at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show as you may recall.
The new range-topping Peugeot 508 will be
powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain that combines a turbocharged 1.6-liter
four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors. The petrol engine will be
good enough for around 200 HP on its own and will be accompanied by two
electric motors, one driving the front and the other the rear wheels. This will
give the production 508 Sport Engineered all-wheel drive and a combined output
in the region of 350 horsepower, which is about 50 HP less than last year’s
concept that was said to have around 400 HP.
At the time, Peugeot claimed that the 508
Sport Engineered concept was capable of a 0-100 km/h acceleration of
just 4.3 seconds and an electronically capped top speed of 250
km/h. Electric juice will be provided
by a 11 kWh battery pack, which is big enough for an all-electric driving range
of up to 50 km.
The exterior design of the new Peugeot 508
Sport Engineered will be significantly more aggressive than the standard model,
courtesy of new bumpers, lip spoilers with integrated winglets, deeper side
sills and a rear diffuser, along with a set of different wheels shod probably
in stickier tires.
The sportiest of the 508s is expected to
make its official debut in full production trim in the coming weeks. The Sport
Engineered represents the latest addition to the sub-segment of plug-in hybrid
performance sedans alongside the VW Passat GTE and the BMW 330e.
