Peugeot Australia hopes the new Peugeot 308 rival for the Toyota Corolla will spearhead a return to form for the French Lion - and a revival of the brand's fortunes with consumers.The Peugeot 308 replaces one of the most successful Peugeot models of all-time, the 307, that racked up 3.2 million sales worldwide since its launch in 2001. The 308 sits on the same basic framework, but is bigger in almost every dimension.
When the 308 arrives in Australia in February 2008 four engines will be offered; a new 110kW 1.6-litre turbcharged petrol engine, an 88kW naturally-aspirated version of the same engine, and carried-over 1.6-litre (80kW) and 2.0-litre (100kW) four-cylinder diesels.
The HDi engines will be mated to manual gearboxes initially - a five-speed for 1.6 diesel and six speeds for 2.0 diesel. Peugeot Australia is likely to eventually add the car maker's new six-speed electronically controlled 'robotised' manual gearbox that dispenses with the clutch pedal.
The 308 has been awarded the maximum five-star safety rating for occupant protection by independent safety body NCAP. Peugeot will offer the 208 with up to nine airbags in some overseas markets, and while exact Australian specification is not known, at least six will be standard on 308s in Australia . Antilock brakes and electronic stability control are likely to be 'no-cost' options.
Other options will include an electric panoramic sunroof that brightens the cabin considerably, as will sat-nav and a great-sounding audio system.The Peugeot 308 will also introduce a lane-departure warning system. A camera mounted in the front end monitors lane markings and the driver's seat will vibrate if the car strays across white markings without the indicator being used.
Later in 2008, Peugeot will add a Touring (wagon) version and a CC (coupe-cabriolet) model to replace the 307 CC. In 2009 Peugeot is expected to launch a coupe rival for the Audi TT , previewed by the RC Z concept that debuted at this year's Frankfurt motor show.
The Peugeot 307 has driven the brand's Australian growth in recent years (it accounts for about 50 per cent of sales) and Peugeot is keen to build on this. Its replacement, the 308, looks more like a facelift on the outside. Stepping inside reveals a cabin reconstruction that answers the criticism levelled at the 307's quality, if not roominess.
Luxury is a word that described the ride quality of Peugeots of old, but the 307 was one of the prime examples of how the French brand has struggled with suspension tuning more recently. The 307's ride could be jiggly and crashy, but rarely compliant.
The new 308 refines the 307's suspension configuration to more effectively cushion occupants from rougher roads, at least on the models we test drove at the launch in France.
Our launch car was powered by one of the company's new engines, co-developed with BMW. The 1.6-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine was first seen in the new Mini Cooper S. Peugeot's version is not as powerful, producing 18 fewer kilowatts (110kW). Torque is the same, at 240Nm.This engine replaces the 103kW 2.0-litre petrol as Peugeot downsizes its engines in the name of the environment. Despite the smaller capacity and having to shift more mass than the 307, Peugeot says the 1.6-litre turbo 308 is a tenth quicker (8.8sec) than the 2.0-litre petrol 307 from zero to 100km/h.
The engine responds strongly from low revs, and shows a willingness to utilise the engine's full rev range.
by JEZ SPINKS (www.drive.com.au)
