But no output changes predicted. Hurray!
French carmaker Peugeot has been forced to halt production of its well-received 308 GTi hot hatch temporarily, as new Euro 6.2 emissions regulations have caught the sharp-handling giggle-machine sitting on the wrong side of its emissions standards. The 308 GTi will face a production halt of about 4-months as tweaks to the powertrain are conducted, to ensure that adhering to the new standards won’t reduce the fun factor that the 308 GTi is famed for.
Euro6.2 takes into account the new WLTP economy and emissions testing regiments into account, and so the engines will have to be revised somewhat. A petrol particulate filter will be added to reduce the 308’s tailpipe emissions by a significant amount, in a move similar to what Volkswagen did to its turbo-petrol lineup last year.
Despite the tweaks that will be required to get the 308 GTi into compliance, Peugeot is confident that output numbers will remain unaffected. Upon its return, the 308 GTi should continue to offer a hefty 200kW and 330Nm, with power going exclusively to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox.
Peugeot Australia has not yet commented on the production pause, though we reckon there will only be one of two outcomes: Either there’s enough stock to support local demand through the ‘drought,’ or they too will close the order-books temporarily, and reopen them once production resumes towards the end of the year.
When we reviewed the Peugeot 308 GTi, we fell in love with how its usable practicality was swirled beautifully with a dash of typically-French joie de vivre. You can read our full review of the 308 GTi here.
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