It’s all about the numbers with performance cars, isn’t it? You know, the headline stats that can be pulled out at the bar any time you’re engaged in an impromptu Top Trumps tussle. Power, torque, 0-60mph, top speed – bigger, better, faster, stronger and all that. Yet as we race towards 2030 and the looming cessation of the sales of pure internal combustion engines, a new breed of go-faster motors is appearing.
Move away in all-electric mode and the Peugeot and BMW feel the most brisk, while the Volvo’s 86bhp motor struggles a little against a two-tonne kerb weight. Still, as with the 330e, it benefits from the smooth integration of petrol power and electric energy – unlike the Peugeot, which occasionally trips up when tipping in and out of the throttle at low speeds, leading to the odd jerky getaway.
All three, however, deliver a smooth transition between regenerative and friction braking. Here, the BMW is the best of the three, closely followed by the Volvo and Peugeot.
Neither can hold a candle to the 508, which – with its hunkered-down stance, taut lines and aggressive, LED headlight-enhanced scowl – has more than a hint of RS-badged Audi Avant about it. The trio of flicked-up canards set low down on either side the 508 are a bit much, but the lime-green accents make just enough of a statement without being gaudy.
Full review at the link....