Peugeot 308 2012 News

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its latest round of national safety recalls, with models from Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Citroen, Ram and Aston Martin affected.

The Australasian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced another set of national safety recalls, with models from Mazda, Tesla, Mitsubishi, Peugeot and Citroen impacted.

Hot hatches are in high demand, and they include everything from warm hatchbacks with sporty details to boiling hot turbocharged terrors.

French automaker Peugeot is launching a new generation of its 308 hatchback at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show, and to help build excitement will also roll out this performance-oriented concept version. Dubbed the 308 R, the concept hints at a hotted-up Peugeot 308 that if built would target the likes of the Golf GTI and Ford Focus ST. The 308 R concept is powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, which rates at 200kW and is found in the Peugeot RCZ R sports coupe, which also debuts in Frankfurt next month. Peak torque registers at 329Nm and is available from a low 1,900 rpm. Drive is channelled to the front wheels, via a six-speed manual transmission and a Torsen differential. The wheels are 19-inch light allows wrapped with 235/35 tires, and inside them sits four-piston brake calipers and Alcon discs. The concept gets a number of unique body panels, which are made out of carbon fibre and bolted directly to the regular 308’s lightweight platform. That platform is Peugeot’s new EMP2 modular set, which is also found in the latest Citroën C4 Picasso and is said to be around 135kg lighter than the platform in the previous 308. But to further improve dynamics, the 308 R also sports lowered suspension and a wide track--up to 30mm wider at the front. At the rear, there is a discreet roof spoiler and a bumper with an integrated diffuser. Also integrated with the rear bumper is a pair of square-shaped exhaust tips. Inside, there’s a driver-focused cockpit with a big 9.7-inch touch-screen display mounted in the dash. Peugeot explains that the dash was designed so that the displays can be viewed over and not through, helping to reduce driver distractions. Sales of the new Peugeot 308 commence in Europe after the car’s Frankfurt debut. Hopefully, we’ll see a production version of the 308 R in the not too distant future. www.motorauthority.com  

... so Peugeot is adding a family version of the 308 in addition to a 008 crossover. Carparazzi caught it in hot-weather testing in southern Europe with pictures that show a considerable increase in length and width. 

Its vice-president of international sales Bernd Schantz was on hand in Melbourne last week for the global debut of the 308 Touring, ahead of its Geneva motor show reveal.Although Schantz's focus is on big markets like Russia, China and South America, he says Australia and the Asia-Pacific rank highly.“If you look at the different regions in which Peugeot is present, very clearly the European market is in saturation phase,” he says.As a result Peugeot is looking to growth areas but “clearly the Asia-Pacific region is one of the important developments for us.”Peugeot has been in Australia for 50 years.“There's a great (synchronicity) between this market and Peugeot,” Schantz says.“Our products are well adapted to this market. The Peugeot image of stylish cars fits very well with this market."“I hope that we will sell more than 10,000 cars but I think that we should go further in the future. We have some further potential and we have to work on optimising our potential.”Schantz says it is a personal challenge to increase sales in markets like Australia.“The 308 Touring debut in Australia ahead of Geneva shows that Australia is an important market,” he says.“The next world premiere should be in Sydney, without saying too much.”He described the Melbourne debut for the vehicle as symbolic.“But it's important because a lot of motor shows want to have a world premiere and the decision to show the 308 Touring here is a good symbol,” he says.