This is Peugeot’s new 508, the car that will next year replace both the current 407 family saloon/estate and the 607 executive model. At almost 4.8 metres long for the saloon model and a few centimetres longer for the estate, the newcomer will be slightly bigger than the current 407, which is already one of the longest cars in its market sector.
This means that it will be exceptionally roomy inside. And, as you’d expect, it will be packed with technology. The car will, however, run on a modified version of the platform from the 407.
It is very different in appearance from the current cars, ushering in a new-generation look for Peugeots. Stand-out design features include a new, cleaner grille and a pronounced ‘shoulder’ than runs from the front wings along the length of the car. It also has the high window line and bonnet which are characteristic of cars designed to meet tough Euro NCAP requirements for pedestrian safety.
Peugeot has of late made big improvements to the quality of materials used to furnish the insides of its cars. So the 508 promises to match the high standards set by Volkswagen, who of current volume-selling cars, make the best cabins.
After launch, Peugeot plans to launch a hybrid version, which will use an electric motor in team with a conventional engine. In this case, a 200bhp output is promised, harnessed to all-wheel-drive, that will nonetheless produce emissions of just 99g/km of CO2. As of no, only the most eco-friendly small family cars and superminis are capable of such low emissions. Other 508 models will feature a new stop-start system, called e-Hdi, which is capable of reducing fuel use by 15%.
The new cars will be built at Peugeot’s factory in Rennes, France and also in China for the local market. They’ll go on public display for the first time at the Paris Motor Show in October before arriving in the UK early next year.
