Peugeot Sport has turned the 308 GTi hot hatch into a proper race car called the 308 Racing Cup, which will available from the end of 2016 to customers all around the world.

Powered by an uprated version of the 1.6-liter THP engine from the 308 GTi, the 308 Racing Cup benefits from an additional 38PS (37hp) for an output of 308PS (304hp), thanks to the fitting of the turbo used for the 208 T16 rally car.

And that’s only the first phase of its development, as Peugeot Sport says more power will be extracted from the engine.

Compared to the 308 GTi, the 308 Racing Cup has a more muscular look thanks to more aggressive bumpers with a splitter at the front and diffuser at the rear, huge rear wing inspired by WTCC regulations and wider wheel arches filled with wider 18-inch wheels that can be fitted with either slick or wet-weather tyres. The car is actually 106mm (4.17in) wider than the street legal hot-hatch, with an overall width of 1,910mm (75.2in).

While the 308 Racing Cup borrows elements of the suspension from the 308 GTi, such as the pivots and rear beam, Peugeot Sport has added specific racing parts to make it more suited to the racetrack, including six-piston brake-calipers. In addition, the car is fitted with a six-speed sequential gearbox with steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters.

The racing version of the 308 will have a restricted weight between 1,000 kg and 1,050 kg (2,204-2,315 lbs).

The Peugeot 308 Racing is expected to succeed the RCZ Racing Cup in both single-make championships and saloon and sports car racing series such as the VLN in Germany, CER in Spain, CITE in Italy and BGDC in Belgium, as well as endurance championships like the 24H Series.

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