Photo: Catalin Garmacea
What originated as “sacredieu” in the dim Middle Ages isn’t actually used by people with French citizenship. God damn it, dear Agatha Christie and your Hercule Poirot detective books! “Sacré Bleu” was never used by the French, yet your books have propagated the saying all over the world.
Oh, sorry, I forgot that this is a piece on the 2015 Peugeot 308. When I first saw this lil’ bugger in the flesh, I had this sort of sacré bleu moment because the second generation of the C-segment hatchback is undoubtedly French, yet oozes from every of its pores that Peugeot was inspired by the Volkswagen Golf.
Do I feel bad about this minor dilution of what makes a French car... French? Not really. To be completely frank, Germanizing the 308 is for the greater good of the struggling Peugeot brand. Then again, who could say no to a 308 that’s more mature than its forerunner?
Our 308’s configuration included a 1.6-liter e-HDi turbo diesel with 115 HP on tap and 270 Nm (199 lb-ft) of twist. It’s redundant to beat around the bush, so I’ll keep nice and tidy: no, this engine isn’t torquey enough for overtaking maneuvers, but it suffices for everyday urban dwelling while drinking fuel like it’s a pipette.
The six-speed manual could’ve been a whole lot less rubbery as well. I kid you not, you can actually move the gear lever left and right in gear! The last time such a gearbox was made, the USSR was still alive and kicking. But you know what? Despite all the niggles, the 308 is a surprising and interesting alternative to what the compact hatchback segment offers today. Our review of the 2015 Peugeot 308 will tell you more.
Do I feel bad about this minor dilution of what makes a French car... French? Not really. To be completely frank, Germanizing the 308 is for the greater good of the struggling Peugeot brand. Then again, who could say no to a 308 that’s more mature than its forerunner?
Our 308’s configuration included a 1.6-liter e-HDi turbo diesel with 115 HP on tap and 270 Nm (199 lb-ft) of twist. It’s redundant to beat around the bush, so I’ll keep nice and tidy: no, this engine isn’t torquey enough for overtaking maneuvers, but it suffices for everyday urban dwelling while drinking fuel like it’s a pipette.
The six-speed manual could’ve been a whole lot less rubbery as well. I kid you not, you can actually move the gear lever left and right in gear! The last time such a gearbox was made, the USSR was still alive and kicking. But you know what? Despite all the niggles, the 308 is a surprising and interesting alternative to what the compact hatchback segment offers today. Our review of the 2015 Peugeot 308 will tell you more.
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