PEUGEOT has released the first official pictures of the 2014 308, a new rival for the Ford Focus and the Volkswagen Golf. Company car drivers will be attracted by CO2 emissions as low as 85g/km – at least on some models.
The next 308 owes its low emissions in part to radical weight savings of up to 140kg, the result of a switch to a new modular platform called EMP2.
Peugeot is breaking with almost a century of tradition by carrying over an existing model badge to what is substantially a new car.
Previously, model-generation changes were signalled by a change of number – for example, today’s 308 is the successor to the 307, which in turn was preceded by the 306. Now all mainstream Peugeot model badges will end in “08” except for emerging market models which will be “01”s.
Although the new 308 represents quite a break from the existing car in visual terms, much of its flowing exterior look is shared with the more recently introduced 208 and 2008.
That theme continues inside, where the 308 borrows the 208’s unusual dash arrangement that requires drivers to view the instrument panel over the top of, as opposed to through, the steering wheel.
Peugeot says this set-up, which it calls “i-cockpit”, is popular with buyers once they get a chance to try it out. One unusual feature for this class of car – most 308s will get full-LED headlamps.
The new EMP2 platform isn’t just good for your company car tax bill; it’s also claimed to be good for the 308s handling, an area in which Peugeot is clawing back some of its previous sky-high reputation, and the company is saying quality levels have been improved as well.
The new 308 will be shown publicly for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. UK sales are expected to start in January 2014.