The sporty character of the New 308 GT is developed through a lower body position and optimised suspension. It delivers outstanding body stability, whilst ensuring a high level of comfort at all times and on every kind of road.
The 4-cylinder 2.0-litre BlueHDi 180 offers a high level of performance. It delivers its maximum power of 180hp at 3750rpm and its maximum torque of 400Nm at 2000rpm. With a power to weight ratio of just 7.3 kg/hp (136 hp per tonne), this engine needs only 5.5 seconds to accelerate from 80 to 120 km/h (50-70mph) in 5th gear.
With a capacity of 1,997cc, it presents remarkable CO2 emissions of just 103g, equal to fuel consumption of 4.0l/100km (70.6 mpg), due to:
- a 3rd generation common rail fuel system operating at up to 2,000 bars;
- a new combustion chamber optimising the mixture of air and fuel, delivered by 7-hole injectors;
- a compression ratio raised to 16.7:1 to improve the overall efficiency of the engine,
- engine oil of very low viscosity, type 0W15.
Furthermore, extensive work on detail has allowed a weight saving of 7kg. This was achieved by reducing the thickness of wall casings and the use of engine ancillaries only when required.
This diesel engine is coupled to an EAT6 automatic gearbox, designed and developed in collaboration with Aisin AW. It uses Quickshift technology for fast gear changes, as well as the ability to down-shift automatically to the speed required rather than in sequential order.
Furthermore, its efficiency is almost the same as for a manual gearbox due to reduced internal friction and the use of torque converters applied whenever needed to avoid transmission slip.
This results in CO2 emissions and fuel economy comparable to those achieved with the best manual gearboxes.
The axles (pseudo MacPherson at the front, deformable beam at the rear) are given specific settings to suit the engines and the spirit of the car. The setup is sporty, with excellent body control, while still maintaining a high level of comfort.
To achieve this, engineers worked on all of the settings to provide precise control on the extremes of road conditions, providing secure driving and avoiding unwanted over or under steering. So the passive dampers, with new ratings for effort/speed regulate instantly to adapt to the type of driving. For reduced noise, they have a hydraulic bump stop. Depending on the version, the front and rear suspension is stiffened by 10 to 20% for a extremely responsive reaction, with no lag.
The variable electric power steering allows instinctive positioning of the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres with their high level of grip.
Performance of this level demands an effective braking system, easy to modulate and with excellent thermal resistance. This is provided by a Bosch 9CE central unit distributing the braking effort between the four discs. At the front, the 330mm diameter and 30mm thick discs are gripped by floating calipers with 60mm pistons. At the rear, the discs are 268mm diameter on 308 GT and 290mm on 308 GT SW.