The Peugeot 508 Sport Engineered sets off on its adventure and moves from prototype to production car

At the Geneva Motor Show we had the chance to see the new plug-in hybrid prototype from Peugeot. The Peugeot 508 Sport Engineered was presented to give an idea of what the brand’s new hybrid models could be, although it was not known when this model would reach the market and offer all its features to buyers. Now we know that the production version of the Peugeot 508 Sport Engineered will be a production model.

It will take about two years to reach the markets, so by the end of 2021 we could have this sporty version of the Peugeot 508 plug-in hybrid. The variant could be called Peugeot 508 R, although this is not certain, and it would not have many differences from what was presented at the Geneva Motor Show.

Following this plan, the Peugeot 508 R would have the same hybrid powertrain, made up of a 1.6-litre engine producing 200 CV that works in combination with two electric motors which together add another 200 CV. This combined 400 CV output takes the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds.

Its plug-in hybrid status also gives it a short electric-only range, up to 50 km, a distance that can cover city driving, where it can run without emitting any emissions. As for its look, we know the prototype has elements that stand out at the Geneva Motor Show and that they will most likely be removed from the production model, but its design, faithful to the rampant lion styling, will be quite close to the final result.

Major manufacturers do not usually carry over much of the technology used in prototypes into their production models. Concept cars are designed to show what the brand is capable of offering, but production models must adapt to market realities and to the tastes and needs of buyers. For that reason, although they will be minor, changes will be present in the production version of this Peugeot 508 Sport Engineered, although it will remain a model worth considering within its segment.