Peugeot Prepping New C-Segment Entry for Fall Launch

PARIS – Peugeot will launch its new Peugeot 308 at the Frankfurt auto show in September on the new EMP2 platform that cuts its mass by 308 lbs. (140 kg).

At 167 ins. (425 cm) long, the hatchback is 1 in. (2.5 cm) shorter than its predecessor.

This week’s release of photos of the new 308 answers the question of what Peugeot intended to do with its naming/numbering scheme. For decades, the auto maker increased by one the last number of a new model, but did not say what it would call the successor to, for example, a 309.

By retaining the 308 name, the replacement Peugeot joins competitors such as the Volkswagen Golf and Renault Megane that keep their names generation after generation.

The 308 will have light-emitting-diode headlamps on most trim levels, which Peugeot says is a first among lower-medium C-segment models. Each LED taillamp has three vertical elements suggesting the lion’s claws incorporated into the brand’s logo.

Inside, basic instrumentation is installed above the small steering wheel, and a central 9.7-in. (24.6-cm)  touchscreen replaces most buttons.

The lighter platform that will be used for PSA Peugeot Citroen’s compact vehicles is protected by 116 patent applications. Because the platform is lighter, many components can be reduced in size, adding to the overall weight reduction and helping reduce carbon-dioxide emissions as low as 85 g/km in one diesel-powered version.

PSA will manufacture the 308 in Sochaux, France. European sales will begin in the fall.