New Peugeot 308 GT hot hatch due on sale in 2014

Peugeot

The Peugeot 308 GT will be unveiled at the 2014 Paris Motor Show this September, according to company insiders.

Speaking at the launch of the 308 SW estate, Peugeot sources told us that the 308 GT will be revealed in its home market and is likely to go on sale before the end of the year.

Technical details haven't been announced, but the 308 GT is expected to use a version of the 208 GTi's turbocharged 1.6-litre engine, with a similar power output of about 200hp.

Chassis tweaks and a mild makeover are likely, and we'd expect a price of about £22,000.

We'd guess at a 0-60mph time of about 7.5 seconds and a top speed of approximately 140mph, making the 308 GT a rival for cars such as the three-door Kia Pro_cee'd GT and five-door Cee'd GT.

Hot hatch fans will have to wait for next year for a full-blown 308 GTi. That car - which could in fact be called the 308 R, after 2013's concept car (above) - will be developed by the new Peugeot Sport division, which is responsible for the widely praised RCZ R.

It's due to get more extensive chassis changes, a harder-edged makeover (expect hints of the 308 R that was revealed at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show) and could use a version of the RCZ R's mighty 270hp 1.6-litre turbocharged engine.

It'll take the fight to full-blooded hot hatches such as the SEAT Leon Cupra 280 and Vauxhall Astra VXR and is likely to cost more than £25,000.

At the other end of the scale, our sources told us that there are no plans for a hot hatch version of the new 108 city car.

Despite Peugeot's track record for affordable hot hatches such as the 106 GTi, a 108 GTi wouldn't make financial sense, we were told. In addition there are no plans to add a more powerful engine than the Toyota-sourced 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine to the 108 range. Peugeot's own 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine - which develops up to 130hp - won't be available for the 108, to keep costs down.

On Bing: see more photos of Peugeot GTI models
Buy a used Peugeot 308 on Auto Trader
Read more about the Peugeot 308 R concept car at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show

By Leo Wilkinson, senior editor, MSN Cars