PEUGEOT SPORT's engineers have been busy focusing their attentions on the PEUGEOT 308 and the fruit of their know-how and expertise is the 308 GTi by PEUGEOT SPORT, the most radical model in the brand's range. Not satisfied with this successful outcome alone, they decided to go even further by conceiv-ing a racing version of the car. And this step from the road to the racetrack has led to the creation of the PEUGEOT 308 Racing Cup!
Designed by the designers at Style Peugeot, the generous proportions and aerody-namic forms of the PEUGEOT 308 Racing Cup are clear pointers to its technological content, which has been honed by the brand in motorsport. The package will satisfy even the most exacting and discerning of customers who seek performance and driving pleasure. Powered by the same 1.6-litre THP engine as that which can be found under the bonnet of the 308 GTi by PEUGEOT SPORT, the 308 Racing Cup already produces 308hp (+38hp compared to 308 GTI by PEUGEOT SPORT) after only the first phase of its development!
A sleek, racy silhouette
Its stance, curves and aerodynamic finesse offer the first hint to the model's pedi-gree breeding. Based upon the PEUGEOT 308 GTi by PEUGEOT SPORT, which is widely acclaimed for its assertive character, the 308 Racing Cup adds its own dis-tinctive muscular look.
For its wider wheels to fit, the arches have been widened, endowing the PEUGEOT 308 Racing Cup with an unmistakeable athletic look. This is most notably suggested by its larger overall width which has been extended to 1,910mm – 106mm more than the 308 GTi by PEUGEOT SPORT.
The spoiler that will adorn the rear of the car takes its inspiration directly from the WTCC regulations.
The front and rear bumpers and front splitter are specific to the 308 Racing Cup and enhance its aerodynamic efficiency with an aggressive touch.
Similarly distinctive are its 18-inch wheel rims which can be fitted with either slick or wet-weather tyres (27/65).
On-board technology
The 1.6-litre THP engine is derived directly from the powerplant which drives the 308 GTi by PEUGEOT SPORT. The brand's engine specialists at Vélizy have further honed its performance to head off an increasingly high level of competition in the motorsport arena. In this way and by incorporating the turbo used for the 208T16, the PEUGEOT 308 Racing Cup has already surpassed the 308-horsepower thresh-old. Ongoing development work will offer the opportunity to produce even more potent and radical performance.
The PEUGEOT 308 Racing Cup similarly borrows elements of the suspension from its road-going counterpart, such as the pivots and rear beam. In other areas, in or-der to adapt the car for the racetrack, the brand's engineers have opted for a num-ber of specific parts, such as six-piston brake-callipers. Meanwhile, the six-speed sequential gearbox benefits from steering wheel-mounted paddle-shifters.
The weight of the PEUGEOT 308 Racing Cup was also a priority in its design and will be restricted to between 1,000kg and 1,050kg.
An international career ahead
The PEUGEOT 308 Racing Cup will be available from the end of 2016 to customers all around the world. It is intended that it will succeed the RCZ Racing Cup in both single-make championships and saloon and sportscar racing series such as the VLN in Germany, CER in Spain, CITE in Italy and BGDC in Belgium, or even endurance championships like the 24H Series.
A tempting cocktail to be unveiled in Frankfurt
The PEUGEOT 308 Racing Cup will appear on stage at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 17-27. Then, trading the bright lights of Frankfurt for track action, it will be unleashed in public for the first time at Paul Ricard, France, during a demon-stration run at the 2015 GT Tour's finale (October 24-25).
