Peugeot 308 GTi dropped from Australian line-up
Peugeot cuts its small car range to three models for 2020Peugeot has sounded the death knell for the 308 GTi hot hatch in Australia, announcing the performance model has been phased out indefinitely as part of sweeping changes to the small car range.
The 200kW hot hatch, which rivals evergreen offerings like the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Hyundai i30 N, will not be sold in Australia while it is tied solely to a manual transmission, Peugeot Australia officials have informed carsales.
Furthermore, Peugeot will no longer offer warmer 308 GT variants because of tighter emissions standards, nor the entry Active 308 or the 308 diesel wagon in Australia because of a broader rationalisation of the line-up.
Instead, the 2020 Peugeot 308 range will comprise only three variants, each sharing a 1.2-litre turbo-petrol three-cylinder engine good for 96kW/230Nm and mated to an automatic transmission: the 308 Allure hatch, 308 Allure Touring Sportswagon and 308 GT Line hatch.
The Peugeot 308 Allure will anchor the range at $28,490 (plus on-road costs), a slight increase on the previous Active entry point. Standard equipment includes 16-inch alloy wheels, a touchscreen multimedia system with sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and keyless entry and start.
The base car’s safety suite comprises autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, a reversing camera and parking sensors.
A wagon version of the Allure, dubbed the Peugeot 308 Allure Touring Sportswagon, adds a $2000 premium over the hatch at $30,490 (plus on-road costs).
Sitting atop the revised small car line-up is the Peugeot 308 GT-Line hatch, at $32,990 (plus on-road costs). Its premium brings added equipment such as a sports body kit, LED headlights and foglights, 18-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof and cloth upholstery with red highlights.
A Peugeot Australia spokesman said that, with no automatic version of the 308 GTi on the horizon, it is unlikely the halo model would be offered in Australia again. Peugeot Australia says it sold 185 308 GTi examples since the outgoing model’s launch in 2017.
“The 308 GTi is always going to be a purist manual hatch, that’s why we’ve made the decision. It has to be an automatic to be viable in Australia,” the spokesman said.
How much does the 2020 Peugeot 308 cost?
Allure hatch - $28,490
Allure wagon - $30,490
GT-Line hatch - $32,990
*Prices exclude on-road costs
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