Auto Review: Peugeot 308 R HYbrid

Developed by Peugeot Sport, the French automaker's in-house performance shop, and packing 500 horsepower and more than 500 lb-ft of torque in its most aggressive drive mode, the 308 R HYbrid showcases dominating performance and fuel efficiency in a single package. View more details and Photos after the cut…

The front and rear tracks are 80 mm wider and the 19" wheels sport wider, stickier rubber. Under the hood, things get really interesting. Rather than a conventional, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the 308 R HYbrid employs a plug-in hybrid system that sends power to all four wheels.

Configured via a drive mode selector, the 308 R HYbrid has four performance modes: Hot Lap, Track, Road and ZEV.

• Hot Lap mode maximizes power output for, appropriately, getting the fastest single lap time possible. In this mode, all 500 hp and 500+ lb-ft of torque are available to the driver.
• In Track mode, the total system power is reduced to 400hp and just under 400 lb-ft are available, with primary output coming from the gasoline engine and the rear-mounted electric motor. The front motor is activated depending on need.
• In Road mode, only 300hp is available. The front electric drive is disabled entirely, but the gasoline engine still operates at full capacity.
• ZEV mode is exactly what it sounds like--electric-only operation. The rear motor operates full time and the front is activated if the driver commands more power using the throttle.

The sporty exterior look is completed with a checker-mesh grille, "expressive" louvres on the hood, a narrow hatch spoiler and a two-tone paint finish consisting of a French racing blue (prepped with glass particles for extra pop) and matte black. 

Paddle shifters for the six-speed transmission are found behind the wheel, and a digital HUD sits just above the cluster. Power and drive mode buttons adorn the center console.

Credit: leftlanenews