It's been a dozen years since Peugeot left the US, but overseas (in Europe particularly), it remains a vital automaker. And one of its most vital products is the 308, which the French company has just replaced with an all-new model. Set to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the new Peugeot 308 has just been revealed for the first time online. Peugeot hopes the new 308 will help it take a chunk out of the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf market, and is using a more compact, lightweight package to get there.

Based on PSA's new EMP2 platform (which it will share with the new Citroen C4 Picasso and a raft of upcoming products), the 308 adopts much of the style of the smaller 208 both inside and out. Intriguingly, Peugeot has managed to cut 140 kg off the previous model's curb weight - or roughly 308 lbs. Peugeot has also tried to take the 308 slightly up-market from its predecessor as it shifts strategy. While previous models followed a sequential naming scheme (305, 306, 307 and the outgoing 308), the company has switched to permanent nameplates, the 308 going slightly upscale while the 301 covers the budget market.