The Peugeot 308 R HYbrid Is Part Family Car, Part Supercar, All Awesome

The all-new Peugeot 308 was only recently launched in Malaysia but for the upcoming 2015 Shanghai Auto Show, the French company will be showcasing a monstrous concept edition of the C-segment hatch called the Peugeot 308 R HYbrid.

Drawing upon the expertise of its motorsport division, Peugeot Sport, a bog standard 308 has now been fitted with a high-performance hybrid powertrain with technology derived from the Peugeot 908 racer.

The hybrid powertrain consists of a 1.6-litre THP 270 S&S four-cylinder petrol engine which is taken from a RCZ R, providing 270hp. Adding to the mix are two electric motors – one linked to the six-speed gearbox while the other is located on the rear axle. They are powered by a lithium-ion 3kWh battery and each adds a further 115hp bringing the total system output to a mighty 500hp and 730Nm of torque.

Drive is sent to all four wheels and while the 308 R HYbrid is electronically limited to just 250 km/h, it will make the century sprint in just 4 seconds and keeping the environment in mind, produces just 70 grams of CO2 emissions per kilometre and Peugeot claims it will do 40 km per litre. A regenerative braking system is also in place to recharge the battery.

Additionally, the powertrain features four driving modes selectable by a toggle button:

• Hot Lap mode grants the driver all 500hp and 730Nm of torque the 308 R HYbrid has to offer and is the best mode at least according to us.
• Track mode dials things down a little, offering just 400hp and 530Nm of torque from just the petrol engine and rear electric motor. The front electric motor only serves to provide a boost when accelerating.
• Road mode as the name denotes, is for road use where power output is further reduced to 300hp and 400Nm of torque. Here, the front electric motor is not used with only the petrol engine delivering the power needed assisted by the rear electric motor when needed during accelerations.
• ZEV is an all-electric mode where the rear electric motor powers the 308 but can call upon the front electric motor depending on the acceleration needed.

Resting on the EMP2 platform, the 308 R HYbrid receives a redesign both inside and out to suit its new performance-oriented persona. The aggressive front-end features larger air intakes, a checked pattern on the grille, louvres on the hood, and LED daytime-running lights.

At the rear, a new bumper can be seen with two scoops that keeps the battery temperature down and a narrow spoiler sits just above the tailgate. The car rides on 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 235/35 series tyres with a wider track of 80 mm, and its body is painted in a two-tone blue-matte black finish, a trademark for Peugeot’s “most extreme cars”.

The cabin retains the Peugeot i-Cockpit but garnished to highlights the performance nature of the 308 R HYbrid. Four bucket seats are upholstered in leather and touches of red can be found throughout the cabin on the dials, steering wheel, and centre console. Adorning the dashboard and other pieces of trim is a fabric produced using a digital weaving technique.