What's the news?
In spite of the fact that the top-ten best-selling list has been entirely surrendered by four-door saloons, given over to hatchbacks and SUVs, Peugeot, and PSA Group in general, seems determined not to let the segment go, and so we're getting this, the striking new Peugeot 508.
It's a far more dramatic-looking car than the outgoing 508 model, more square, with a hint of Audi in the centre structure, and some Mustang-like detailing for the tail-lights. The front is also far more aggressive than that of the current model, with slim headlights framed by deep slashes of LED daytime running lights, as per the recent Instinct concept car. It even gets frameless doors, and we might have had a small round of applause when we noticed that.
Inside is the most striking version of Peugeot's controversial i-Cockpit yet. It keeps the high dials and the small, hexagonal steering wheel, but the central ten-inch touchscreen and physical shortcut keys are much more tightly integrated into the dashboard, and actually have air vents mounted above them, which emphasises the saloon's low-slung driving position. The centre console and the passenger-side dash is finished in a dark-stained wood. There's also a new 12.3-inch all-digital instrument pack.
Jean-Philippe Imparato, Peugeot CEO, said: "Following the success of our latest major launches and our SUV offensive with the Peugeot 2008, 3008 and 5008, we needed a vision for the large Peugeot saloon that would continue to shake up the market with a vehicle that rivals the best. And in D-segment cars, we're competing with the world's greatest automakers. More than ever, the new Peugeot 508 embodies the ambition we've been stating for several years already: to make Peugeot the top high-end generalist automotive brand."
The 508 sits on the same EMP2 platform that's under the 3008 and 5008, and it's around 70kg lighter than the outgoing model. It will get a broad range of high-tech safety features including autonomous braking, active lane departure warning system (or verge-drift warning), driver-attention warning, automatic headlight control, speed limit recognition and recommendation, widened recognition of road signs (stop sign, one-way sign), adaptive cruise control with Stop & Go feature, lane-keeping assist, active blind-spot monitoring. There's even going to be the option of infra-red night vision.
CO2 emissions for diesel models will start from 98g/km, and that's under the new WLTP fuel economy test, while petrol-engined emissions will start from 123g/km. The engine range includes a new 1.6-litre PureTech with 180hp and a 225hp version as well. Diesel engines are a 130hp 1.5-litre BlueHDI, and a 2.0-litre Blue HDI in both 160hp and 180hp forms. Aside from the basic 130hp diesel, which comes with a six-speed manual gearbox, all other models will get an eight-speed auto as standard. Peugeot has also confirmed that there will be a plugin hybrid model in due course, after that powertrain makes its debut in the 5008 SUV.
We'll get more details in Geneva and the 508 will go on sale in September.