Peugeot Product Boss Says Next 308 will be "Very Different", Front Inspired by Onyx Concept

The next-generation Peugeot 308 will be “very different” from the current model, and will have a shape that will make it a more direct competitor for the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf, according to Peugeot product boss Laurent Blanchet who spoke to Autocar. Blanchet said the new car will look more like a conventional hatchback than the current 308, which he described as being a mix between a saloon and a hatch.

Blanchet also pointed out that the all-new 308, which will be unveiled at the Frankfurt motor show in September, will have a design influenced by the Onyx concept car, especially at the front. Gilles Vidal, Peugeot’s design boss, hinted that the 308 would have a front end derived from the Onyx, but he added the classic Pininfarina-designed 504 Coupé in the mix, too.

Another important detail about the new 308 (which, by the way, won’t be called 309 because of Peugeot’s new naming strategy) is that it will be the first Peugeot to use PSA’s new EMP2 platform, which also underpins the new Citroen C4 Picasso. Similar in concept to VW’s MQB platform, this is a modular architecture that will also be used in PSA’s C and D-segment models, which make up more than half of the group’s output. EMP2 employs either a multi-link or a torsion beam for the rear suspension.

According to Blanchet, the new platform will provide the 308 with a more dynamic stance and shorter overhangs. The front-end design will also benefit from the lower engine mounting positions, making possible a more aggressive design with a lower bonnet. Last but not least, the lower stance means that the car will also have a better driving position.

As is the trend nowadays, the next-generation 308 will be around 70 kg (154 lbs) lighter, with the entry-level model expected to tip the scales at around 1,300 kg (2,866 lbs).

By Dan Mihalascu

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