Citing an alleged source within the sporting division of the French brand, Australia’s motoring.com.au alleges that the model in question will combine the marque’s 1.6-lite PureTech turbocharged petrol engine with a pair of electric motors for a total system output of 300 horsepower or 224kW.

Effectively resulting in the newcomer being all-wheel drive, the insider also claims that the model would not wear the famed GTI badge as originally claimed, but rather revive the R moniker last used on the RCZ R four years ago. It further alleges that the 508 R will complete the 0-100km/h dash in 4.5 seconds, and reach a limited top speed of 250km/h.

Speaking at the unveiling of the 508 estate at the Paris Motor Show, Peugeot Head of Design, Gilles Vidal, all but confirmed the 508 R becoming a reality after stating that, “We will have sportier versions of the 508, the hybrid 3008 will have 300hp (224kW) and at some point probably even more, so we’ll have a performance version”.

He continued by remarking that the plug-in hybrid setup “not lower(s) emissions and fuel consumption, it gives you extra power and if you adjust all of this properly you can get a proper performance car”.

“I don’t think it would take much [for the 508] to become a hot sedan. You don’t need to go crazy”, he said, before remarking that a sedan would never be known as a GTI as “it relates to small cars like the 208 and 308. It sounds funny to put a badge like this on a big car”.

Set to rival the likes of the Audi S4, BMW M340i, Mercedes-AMG C43 as well as the Opel Insignia GSI and Volkswagen Arteon 2.0 TSI R-Line, the 508 R, like its regular sibling, is not expected to arrive in South Africa anytime soon.