Tuesday 16th February 2010

Peugeot Previews New 508 Saloon

Sleek saloon concept marks a move upmarket for 407 replacement

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Peugeot has revealed this concept, the '5 By Peugeot', ahead of the car's in-the-metal launch at the Geneva motor show in March.

Although Peugeot says that the car is purely a design concept, like the Peugeot SR1 sports car concept also scheduled for Geneva, it points the way forward for the future of Peugeot design.

More specifically, the '5 By Peugeot' previews the successor to today's rather conservative 407. That car will be aimed squarely at the higher end of the large family car segment - a market currently dominated by the VW Passat and Passat CC - and will even take a swipe at traditional 'compact execs' like the BMW 3-series and Merc C-class.

As the '5' label hints, the 407's replacement will move upmarket, as Peugeot plans to replace both the 407 and 607 with just one model. Working title? We'd say Peugeot 508 is probably a safe bet...

The '5 By Peugeot' is also a car that seems to be attempting to be all things to all men - 200bhp and four-wheel drive should give it good-side-of-respectable performance, while fuel consumption of 74.3mpg and CO2 emissions of 99g/km will please the greenies and the tight-of-wallet in equal measure.

So how does the '5 By Peugeot' achieve such spectacular figures? By means of the near-inevitable hybrid drivetrain, of course.

This time it's a 2.0-litre, 163bhp diesel coupled to a 37bhp electric motor, a combination that will first see the light of day in 2011, beneath the unfortunate-looking body of the 3008 MPV.

As for exactly how much of the '5 By Peugeot' will survive to become the 508 - or even when that will happen - Peugeot isn't telling. All a Peugeot source would say to PH was that "A lot of what you see here [on the 5 By Peugeot] will end up on the next Peugeot saloon".

[militantmandy]

Looks pretty damn good tomy eye. Wish they'd stop being such pansy's though and do a VXR style range topper.

[rfn]

Looks nice.

[soad]

This looks surprisingly alright. 4wd too, need a bigger engine choice perhaps.

[Riggers]

soad said:

This looks surprisingly alright. 4wd too, need a bigger engine choice perhaps.

I'm certain the eventual production car will - this is just the motor for the concept.

[Northern-Loop]

Those wing mirrors always look like a after thought - They dont look right!

[FraserLFA]

Looks better than the current range

[navanman]

1st pic has a bit of audi in it IMO.

[anonymous-user]

I came in here expecting that horrible peugeot face they slap on to every car. This actually looks good.

Though I'll bet 20 quid that when it goes to production they cut corners and use the 308's face.

[Snowman23]

I like it....an improvement on the 'gaping fish mouth' look of the current range

Lokks a bit like a love child of a VAG saloon, Vauxhall Insignia and (3 way) from the rear 3/4 I'm getting new XJ....

It will be interesting to see what the real one looks like on the M25 on a mucky day, with 16'' wheels, plastic rubbing strips and a bored rep with bluetooth earpeice behinf the wheel

[pits]

Mazda meets Pug, bluergh!

[pSyCoSiS]

Quite a nice looking car.

Good effort from Peugeot.

[AndySA]

Looks great and yet still looks like a peugeot. So a well done from me and I hope they make it without too many changes.

[BUG4LIFE]

Northern-Loop said:

Those wing mirrors always look like a after thought - They dont look right!

Nah dude, I love those little wing mirrors, they look really slick. What I don't like is that they'll be replaced by some huge buggers on the production car [XF anyone]!

[number2301]

I really dislike modern Peugeots but tractor engine aside that does look nice. Although I'm guessing the diseasal powers the front and the electric motor powers the rear, making it not really properly 4wd.

[nelly_h]

Looks great, but being a big Pug (bigger than a 407 by the sounds of it) it will sell in measly numbers in Britain no matter how it goes.

If they don't compromise rear headroom too much it'll make a great taxi on the continent given time.

[ajprice]

Its looking good. Hope this marks the end of the Ugly Betty mouth.

[Twoshoe]

I see a hint of Quattroporte in that front-on shot

[dinkel]

74.3mpg?

[MiniMan64]

The Franch seem to making some nice looking 'big' cars at the moment, the C6 is a looker and so is this.

[BelperJim]

dinkel said:

74.3mpg?

It's a hybrid.