Peugeot 308 GT hot hatch soon

European car-maker Peugeot is in the process of fleshing out its burgeoning 308 small car range, with the high-performance 151kW GT hatch joining the range from late March, 2015.

Voted European Car of the Year, the Peugeot 308 comprises hatchback variants and the Touring (or wagon) model in Australia, with the wagon priced at $34,990 in top-spec Allure diesel form. The 308 Touring has exceeded sales expectations by 300 per cent says Peugeot Australia, after going on sale in early October.

Currently two engine types are offered with the 308 in Australia, the 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol (96kW/230Nm) and 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel (110kW/370Nm), but a third engine, a 1.6-litre turbo-petrol engine, will top the range, offering up to 151kW of power in the GT model.

First shipments of the 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine will arrive in quarter one of 2015, paired with the top-spec Allure hatch and wagons pumping out 110kW/240Nm. The go-fast 308 GT hot hatch models will arrive a little later, expected late Q1 or early Q2, pumping out 151kW/285Nm and offered with the full sports treatment.

The Pug 308 GT might not be able to match the Golf GTI in terms of raw power but the new 308 is a lighter vehicle than before, by up to 140kg, which won't hurt performance.

Peugeot Australia will also offer the 308 GT Diesel in due course, powered by a more potent 133kW/400Nm version of the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, which may appeal to former VW Golf GTD buyers now that car is no longer offered here.

Currently priced from $21,990, the entry-level Peugeot 308 Access five-door hatch gets a manual gearbox and a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol worth 96kW/230Nm. A six-speed automatic costs $2000 extra. Mid-spec Active models are $27,340 fitted with an auto as standard, while the Allure models are $30,490, all paired with the 1.2-litre unit.

Peugeot plans to maintain the 308's new model momentum into 2015 with the new 1.6-litre engine in the Allure and new GT models expected to cement the cars' places in the brand's hierarchy, currently the second highest-selling Peugeot behind the 4008. Other new models, including the 508 mid-sized car and an updated 3008 crossover, will bolster the brand when they arrive in the first quarter of 2015.

The just-added 308 Touring wagon is likely to continue the 308's upward trajectory, with sales up 55 per cent year on year. Peugeot's PR & Communications Manager, Tyson Bowen, said the 308 Touring's popularity is due to its practicality, the way it drives and its styling.

"People walk into the dealerships, keen on the new 308 hatch, but then see the Touring with its flexible load space and they want one."
The Touring has 625 litres of boot space, expanding to 1480 litres with seats down, significantly more than the hatchback.

With 3702 sales to the end of October, Peugeot sales are down by 5.2 per cent compared to last year's 3907 sales. That's slightly worse than the national average, with the overall Australian new car market down by about two per cent.

Peugeot 308 Pricing

Hatch
Access $21,990
Active $27,340
Allure $30,490

Touring
Allure $34,990