Peugeot has unveiled its new 508 range, and it says that it is a clear illustration of the brand’s move upmarket. Building on the already elegant styling and the absolute quality of the existing models, the new 508 saloon, SW and RXH diesel hybrid models benefit from new equipment, new exterior and interior styling and the latest economical Euro 6 engines.
Sales in Europe will start in September, reaching Ireland in late 2014. The new 508 joins the Peugeot stable at a time when the company is enjoying its youngest ever range in its 125-year history.
Presented at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, the tremendously successful Peugeot 508 started its sales career in 2011. Available initially as a saloon or estate, a third innovative version arrived to expand the range a year later in the form of the Peugeot 508 RXH with HYbrid4 technology. Built in France and in China for the local market, a total of almost 370,000 units have been sold since launch.
Peugeot’s designers have built on the already elegant styling of the previous 508, to produce a vehicle with even more technological prowess, character, and style. The new models bear a new grille, emblematic of the marque’s future models. More vertical and more self-assured, the Lion is housed at the centre. The front grille is framed by a distinctive light signature to include 100 per cent LED daytime running lamps, direction indicators, and front fog lamps. The rear end is more structured thanks to a more distinctive rear bumper, constructed to enhance its protective function. The opalescent red three-claw rear light signature delivers a strong identity.
The interior has changed as well. The dashboard now includes a seven-inch touch screen, grouping together in an intuitive way most of the vehicles functionalities and as a result, the central panel now has fewer buttons. The centre console includes a new closed storage box, whilst a Head-Up instrument panel allows for great driver control and safety.
Fitted with new equipment such as a reversing camera and blind spot sensors, options include keyless entry and starting, automatic electric parking brake, automatic headlamp dipping, quad-zone automatic air conditioning and JBL Hi-Fi. The quality of materials used, the quality of the equipment and the care taken with finish immediately place the interior of the new Peugeot 508 in a top of the range world that is modern and refined.
With double wishbone, decoupled hub front suspension (on the more powerful diesel versions ) or pseudo MacPherson on other versions, and multi-link rear suspension, the new Peugeot 508 continues to offer a remarkable compromise between ride comfort and road holding.
The saloon and SW ranges will benefit from economical and efficient Euro 6 engines, including the 2 litre BlueHDi 150bhp 6-speed manual with CO2 emissions of just 105g/km, a best in class for this level of power. A new 2.0 litre BlueHDi 180 EAT6 saloon version has been type approved with CO2 emissions of 111 g/km. For petrol, the new Peugeot 508 introduces a new Euro 6 engine: the 1.6 litre THP 165bhp, with a six-speed manual gearbox or fitted with the new EAT6 six-speed automatic gearbox. Replacing the Euro 5 1.6 litre THP 156, this new 165bhp engine allows reduced CO2 emissions to 129 g/km (6-speed manual ) from 144 g/km.
As for the HYbrid4 technology, which so far remains a unique proposition in the segment whilst also boasting the best CO2 emissions and fuel consumption figures in its segment, it is of course carried over to the new saloon and the RXH. The 163bhp 2.0 litre HDi diesel engine and the 37bhp electric motor coupled to the rear wheels operate either alternately or together to offer 200bhp 4WD. The four driving modes (ZEV, 4WD, Sport, and Auto ) provide the driver with exceptional ease of use and driving experience. Excellent economy is achieved: type approved with CO2 emissions of 85 g/km, and with combined fuel consumption of 3.3 l/100km (85.6 mpg ). It is notable that thanks to the success of the 3008, 508, and 508 RXH diesel hybrid models, Peugeot is the second biggest seller of hybrid vehicles in Europe.
2014 will be an important year for the Peugeot brand with the goal of rapid return to profitable growth. Global sales of the brand at the end of May 2014 were up 5.4 per cent to 683,000 units. In Europe (30 countries ), the brand sold 407,000 vehicles, representing an increase of almost 14 per cent, or twice the market growth. This growth takes place within the most profitable market segment, in that of the retail market, in which the brand gained almost 1 per cent market share in the first five months of the year. Peugeot sales in China experienced a strong increase of 28 per cent, which corresponds to twice that of the market growth for the first five months of the year. In May, customer deliveries reached a record of 34,000 units, an increase of 47 per cent compared to May 2013.
The brand has greatly benefited from the success of its latest launches, especially the 2008 crossover which has exceeded 150,000 sales and the new 308 which has already reached 100,000 sales, with the SW version launched in April already off to a fast start in Europe, ahead of its summer arrival in Ireland.
This important volume growth for Peugeot in Europe and Asia bodes well for the launch of the new Peugeot 508, as these will be its two main markets.
