Peugeot just rolled out the all-new 508 in Touring wagon form at the Paris Auto Show last week. Now word has it that a performance version is on the way. And from the initial (albeit speculative) details, it looks like it could be a real barn-stormer.
Citing an unnamed insider, Australia’s Motoring website reports that a new 508 R is being developed by Peugeot Sport – the French automaker’s performance and racing division – to take on the likes of the Audi S4 and Mercedes-AMG C43.
To that end, it’s expected to pack a 1.4-liter turbocharged hybrid powertrain kicking out over 350 horsepower (260 kW) to all four wheels. That’s anticipated to give it a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) time of about 4.5 seconds and a top speed of around 155 mph (250 km/h).
Peugeot design boss Gilles Vidal said it wouldn’t take much to make the stylish new 508 look even sportier. And it’d probably wear the R badge last used on the RCZ R coupe, rather than the GTI badge used on the Lion marque’s smaller hot hatches. Apparently the ruggedized 508 RXH won’t be returning on the new model, though.
The bigger question is whether such a performance sedan (or wagon) could ever make it across the Atlantic to be sold in North America. Peugeot doesn’t currently sell here, but parent company PSA has been gearing up for a return to the US market. It just hasn’t announced which of its brands – which include Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel, and Vauxhall – will be represented, let alone which models will be offered.
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