SPIED: Next-gen Peugeot 308 hatch seen undisguised

The next-generation Peugeot 308 has been sighted by our spy photographer source, and the hatchback seen here reveals nearly all of its production bodywork and a shade of green that will be part of the new car’s palette. Just the rear end of the car remains partly concealed by some fabric.

The forthcoming car can be seen to wear the brand’s new logo that was unveiled as part of the new Peugeot brand identity last month, and is in keeping with the carmaker’s announcement that the 308 will be the first to wear the new emblem.

The front end draws from the design language used for the 508, employing upright LED DRLs at both front corners, building on visual aggression with a more intricate front grille design that locates the license plate holder along the lower edge of the front bumper, as opposed to the mid-mount on the 508. Here, the new emblem is affixed in the centre of the grille, and the ‘308’ model designation is placed directly above.

Part of the brand’s new thrust is that 80% of all new vehicles will be electrified by the end of 2021, and as such, hybrid variants of the 308 can be expected to feature. Exact details should be revealed at launch, though looking at the 508 as a reference, the new 308 is likely to get a 1.6 litre PureTech turbocharged petrol engine in at least two states of tune.

The new 308 has previously been confirmed use the EMP2 platform and will receive a plug-in hybrid powertrain, which will likely feature an electric motor supplementing the internal combustion engine driving the front wheels. In the case of the 508 PSE, the performance variant gets an additional motor at the rear for a dual-motor setup and AWD.

Given how complete the next Peugeot 308 pictured here appears to be, a debut in the next few weeks is likely, according to our spy photographer source. What do you think of Peugeot’s design language in this latest interpretation?