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Peugeot has begun rationing its semiconductor chip supply, installing analogue gauges in the 308.
The 2021 Peugeot 308 won’t be available with a digital instrument cluster for the time being.
French news organisation LCI says the global semiconductor chip shortage has forced Peugeot to revert back to analogue gauges in the 308, as the car maker begins to ration its supply of the computer chips.
“It’s a nifty and agile way of getting around a real hurdle for car production, until the chips crisis ends,” a spokesperson for Peugeot parent company Stellantis told news outlet Reuters.
Semiconductor chip manufacturing was stifled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, with the shortage being exacerbated by a fire at a Japanese plant in March 2021, as well as increasing pressure from car makers as they begin to introduce more electric vehicles.
The LCI report suggests Peugeot is considering a €400 (AU$620) discount for buyers in response to the switch back to analogue gauges.
However, the change won’t affect Australian customers, with Peugeot quietly removing the 308 from sale while it waits for the new model to arrive.
The new-generation Peugeot 308 was revealed in March 2021, with the company’s local arm confirming its arrival in the first quarter of 2022 (January to March inclusive).
MORE: Peugeot 308 news and reviews
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Below: The recently-unveiled 2022 Peugeot 308
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