Search the Community

Behold the new Golf competitor from France. Peugeot probably won’t be too happy with what you are about to see, but we are extremely happy to share a batch of very revealing spy shots with the next-generation 308. What you can see in the gallery below is probably the final design of the French compact hatchback, which plays in the same segment as the VW Golf in Europe. The previous spy photos of the car showed prototypes wearing a lot of camouflage. However, these new shots give us a crystal clear look at the front end and it’s looking absolutely stunning. The front fascia has been completely redesigned compared to the outgoing model and it’s obviously taking inspiration from the new 508 and 208. The huge radiator grille is home to the brand’s new logo and it seems that in this case it also plays the role of a radar for some of the car’s safety systems. Above the logo, there’s a “308” badge, while the grille is flanked by sharp headlights with LED daytime running lights extending into the bumper. The little chrome caps between the grille and the lights could be for the washer nozzles. The lower section of the bumper features a very sculptured design with a trapezoidal shape of the lower grille. There are two little bumper extensions at each corner, though we get the feeling that something might be missing to connect the little fins - a lip spoiler or a diffuser of some sort.

Peugeot is preparing the replacement of the current 307 dubbed 308. This, however, will not be just one successor, but a true full all new model range. Peugeot 3008 The first in line for launch will be the new four door in 2007 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, which will arrive in the dealerships in 2008. It is followed by a three door, station wagon, coupe-convertible in 2009 and finally – as a surprise – a so-called 3008. This one is – like Peugeot’s 1007– another van derivative from the 308 with a large rear door. The first photo is showing a computer image of how the 3008 could look like upon its release. The second photo is a first long lens shot of a heavily disguised prototype of the 3008 during a secret test drive. Peugeot 308 The third and fourth photos are showing a latest prototype of the four door 308 model. Power will come from a 2.2 four cylinder turbodiesel engine delivering 170 HP as well as the new generation 1.6 litre petrol engine delivering between 75 and 170 HP. It was developed in co-operation with BMW. A particularly sporty RC version performing 210 HP is to follow some time later.

PSA Peugeot Citroen revealed the group's new EMP2 platform (Efficient Modular Platform 2) during their Innovation Day celebration. It will underpin the next generation Peugeot 308 and Citroen C4, as well as other models in the C and D segments. The French group has produced a video depicting the various advantages of the new platform. It even comes with a sound track befitting an action-packed movie. The EMP2 platform is very flexible and is suited for a wide range of body styles including SUVs, light commercial vehicles, hatchbacks, sedans and estates. Making use of high-strength steel, aluminum and composites, the EMP2 saves some 70kg over the current platform. The new platform promises to deliver increased safety, driving pleasure and comfort in addition to improved fuel efficiency. Having a highly adaptable single platform across its products is a clever cost-saving strategy for the loss-making Peugeot Citroen, which has been struggling to return to profitability amid weak demand in Europe.

One fine Saturday afternoon as I was driving a Perodua Myvi down a steep road which banked towards the right I got quite a surprise. A Hyundai Atoz suddenly appeared out of nowhere. 'Nowhere' in this context meant that it appeared after it was hidden behind the A-pillar as well as the large elephant-like driver's side mirror. It was the angle the Perodua was sitting on the road that enabled the tinier Atoz to simply disappear behind the two items mentioned above. And it got me thinking. Have the A-pillars and the side mirrors of cars gotten thicker over the years? A-pillars are what you see to the left and right of the windscreen and is a very integral part of the car's sturcture. It holds the windscreen up, it also ensure structural integrity of most cars even in convertibles and it is also part of the car's silhouette. You can't draw a modern day car without having A-pillars. And speaking about modern A-pillars, as it is part of the car's monocoque chassis, it needs to be strong enough during a crash. Which is why you do not see cars these days with slender A-pillars like the BMW CSL from the 1970s or even the classic Lancia Fulvia (photo above) of the same period. Modern side mirrors have also grown in size. Cars in the good old days have it reasonable small. Some of you may remember side mirrors located on the wings of some cars from the 1970s and early 1980s. They were small. About the size of a man's fist or the size of some motorcycle rear view mirrors. But this isn't true anymore for cars. They are huge and can hide tiny Hyundai Atozes behind them especially when you add modern slightly thicker A-pillars to them. You would never find such a problem in the interior of a 1981 Honda Civic pictured below. Then you check out the photograph of the VW Scirocco's A-pillar after it. Taken with the same camera and with yours truly in my usual driving position. The newer car has double the size of the A-pillar and when you're sitting in a low slung coupe, it seems slightly worse (but in all honesty, the Roc is a nice place to be in). And now, the biggest pain are those cars with two A-pillars. Cars like the Honda Jazz, Honda Civic, Suzuki SX4 and the Peugeot 308 (the first photograph below). The former two seem to be quite alright when it comes to looking out of them, but the latter two aren't as good. They've created huge blindspots in places which were never blindspots previously. Soon we may be hearing "I'm sorry officer. I wasn't aware of that 20ton lorry as it was hiding behind my car's A-pillar." Sometimes, progress develops new problems. - A 1990 Mercedes Benz 200e W124 with its slender A-pillar and smallish side mirror. And it is a strong and solid car with great visibility. Who says A-pillars have to be thick? - The Subaru Impreza is a good example where high tensile steel is used, making it have a relatively slim A-pillar for a post-2000 car.

The Peugeot 308 must be the happiest car in the world. It has the largest most toothiest front ever to sit on a car and on some models, it grins happily for all to see with its very large chrome lined grille and its slanted happy looking eyes. But that very large basking shark grille has now been made slightly smaller in the facelifted 308 hatchback, cabriolet and wagon. Peugeot will officially unveil these cars live at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The 308 will have the same engines, both diesel and petrol. The most thrilling 308 will be fitted with the 200bhp version of the 1.6liter BMW Mini turbocharged engine and the least exciting one (in my opinion) would be the one fitted with the 1.4liter petrol engine pumping out 98bhp. 0-100km/h may take slightly longer than a week or so as even the pre-facelifted 1.6liter (non-turbo) which I occasionally drive feels slow and cumbersome. I do think that the new front end reins in the excess in the 308. The newer nose is slightly more rounded and it makes the 308 look like it has a smaller overhang up front. It also makes the car look more balanced overall. The old 308 looked like it had David Coulthard's chin and Jennifer Lopez's rear end. The facelifted Pug has the same rear end but the chin has got a reduction. Peugeot's new corporate styling is now slightly more sensible. Less is more and I can't wait for Peugeot to facelift the 3008 (pic above). I believe that crossover vehicle is the ultimate expression of the ridiculous toothy grin that has now been removed from the 308. The 3008 truly reminds me of a hippopotamus' toothy grin. And I do believe that Peugeot should facelift the 3008 immediately even though Peugeot only launched that 'car' quite recently.