Currently reading: Peugeot pins hopes on 308

Vital new model currently testing in prototype form; will likely share platform with Citroen C4 and DS5

This is the new Peugeot 308, the company’s all-important competitor in Europe’s vital C-segment hatchback market.

The new model, thought to be at least 12 months from the showroom, is badly needed by the French car maker, which is suffering huge losses as the European car market continues to collapse.

The new 308 is expected to be based on the same platform as the Citroën C4 and DS5, although it may benefit from some of the weight-saving techniques applied to the Peugeot 208. Like the car it is replacing, the new hatch retains a high roofline and deep body sides to give it a hint of mini-MPV styling.

Conventional petrol and diesel powerplants will be offered along with Peugeot’s Hybrid4 diesel-electric system.

Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you’ll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here.