The road construction man brakes sharply next to us and almost falls out of the side window of his van: “This is the new Peugeot 308, right?

Looks really sharp in the back. ”Then he gets out, walks forward and adds:“ Oh, hm, the front, well. ”Was it a GTI?

No, the diesel.

“What, awesome, but with a GTI look.

Is it at least right? ”So far, that's okay, we say and buy a pain au chocolat, because we are in France, where you can do pain au chocolat like nowhere else.

Holger Appel

Editor in business, responsible for "Technology and Engine".

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And the 308 has a stand like the VW Golf in this country. It has been reissued, with sweeping lines, two personally configurable screens, cleverly adjustable air vents, avatar blue or olivine green as standard colors and a fresh eagerness to attack VW, Renault, Opel or Hyundai. The compact version is 4.37 meters long, while the station wagon, which is more popular in Germany, measures 4.64 meters. 412 to 608 liters is the comparison in the trunk, which can be filled via a sufficiently low loading sill.

There are petrol, diesel and hybrid engines on the drive side, which is also a statement. Let me tell everyone who has written off diesel that a company that does business around the world thinks in global categories. And those who move the machine, which is pleasantly quiet and a bit delayed because of the automatic which is often looking for the high gear, will be rewarded with an average consumption of 4.4 liters.

The entire series looks unspectacularly aligned on a first test lap, the sill disease rampant on France's roads takes the chassis more manly than many competitors who stand out on it. The version with 130 hp diesel drives more engaging than the soft hybrid, whose battery, however, should be good for up to 60 kilometers of electric whispering. Sales begin on January 22, the compact version will be available from 23,700 euros with a 110-horsepower petrol engine. The SW named station wagon is available from 24,700 euros. The hybrids are around 13,000 euros above this.

In 2023, both will also be offered fully electric. And no, good man, there is no longer a GTI. The most powerful 308 will be called PSE one day and will be a hybrid. Times change, and unfortunately so do the names. At least the latter could be corrected.