Peugeot will open their display agenda at the Shanghai Auto Show with the 500bhp 308 R that could theoretically warp the space time continuum. However the 308 R doesn’t have a dilithium crystal powered warp drive, no, it uses rather less exotic rechargeable lithium-ion batteries to embolden the bhp to such outrageous levels of madness. The 308 R concept is a plug-in hybrid, at its heart is a four-cylinder 1.6-litre THP 270 S&S petrol engine, plus two electric motors – each with power of 85kW/115hp – mounted one on each axle. The front one is linked to the six-speed gearbox. Naturally performance figures are going to be fast, 0-62 in 4.0 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph. And guess what? its a tax buster meaning you have no tax to pay at all thanks to 70 g/km of C02 emissions. The concept has been co-created by Peugeot’s motor racing division, Peugeot Sport injected the 308 R with four driving modes. Hot Lap mode, Track Mode, Road Mode and ZEV mode. Of course there is only one mode to be in, Track Mode because its the most powerful and harnesses the full 500hp and 730Nm of torque. The 308 R is dressed in a much more aggressive body than the standard 308 and sits on 19-inch alloy wheels. As a result the front and rear track has been widened. The two-tone livery includes uses glass particles and florescent pigments, and on the inside the interior gets specially designed sports seats, two up front and two in the rear. Not much has changed with the overall interior design although the dashboard surround gets a layer of digitally woven fabric. The 308 R Hybrid is a concept, realistically Peugeot could make it into a production reality because the technology already exists so it wouldn’t be too costly to engineer and manufacturer other than being expensive. What the 308 R Hybrid Concept demonstrates is the era of V-powered engines as a staple diet of the supercar world is coming to an end. A 500bhp hot hatch hybrid supercar, now that does sound exotic.