BETTER PARTSFresh wind from France
London, June 23, 2014
The competition in the midsize car segment is large and the French want to show with the new 508 now that they have learned "Premium" and can. The successor model, using the 407 and 607, which has now been presented in London, this is symbolic of the new strategy of the Group PSA: from less to more.
Quo vadis Peugeot
Within the PSA Peugeot brand has lossy years behind. 2013 were the whopping 2.3 billion euros minus. Following the arrival of the Chinese Dongfeng the new course was introduced. In the Peugeot means: From 22 models only 13 models will be continued. This saves money. One of the remaining ones should be the 508, available as a sedan, wagon or cross-combination.
Quo vadis 508
Produces the 508 in Rennes / France for the European and in Wuhan / China for the Asian market. Since its introduction in 2011, the car was stated by Peugeot 370,000 copies sold, 36 percent of them in China. In Germany the 508 units with just 3,599 sold in 2013 is a real shop keeper. In comparison, a VW Passat came to around 64,000 copies sold. Freshly revised should help to position in the Peugeot brand awareness higher and bring again the black on the company letterhead of the 508 now.
A new styling
The big lion was combed. Hood and headlights were parallel to the roadway down, aligned. With LED technology, the 508 gets its characteristic light image. The daytime running lights are edged curved in the lower front bumper in sedan and station wagon. The cross-combination RXH wearing his daytime running lights in three adjacent, vertical light units. New on the front is also the position of the brand emblem. The lion wanders from the hood in the center of the grille. This now stands at a steeper angle in the wind.
Fit for the future
Peugeot 508 reduced the number of analog switches and equips it with a seven-inch touch screen in the central panel. The touch screen provides real-time information, for example about free parking nearby, the fuel prices of the surrounding gas stations, traffic conditions, weather reports or tourist advice. Practically while driving: All important information is projected either on the instrument panel behind the steering wheel or on the fold-out head-up display in the driver's field of vision.
Modern and economic
The Euro 6 standard keeps moving into the new 508 models. A new 1.6-liter gasoline engine produces loud Peugeot with 129 g / km on average 15 grams less CO2 than in its predecessor. Nevertheless, the performance increased from 156 to 165 hp. With 111 g / km makes the diesel engine with displacement of two liters and 180 hp, which will also be new to the program, an even better figure.
Gradually to Euro-6
The previous engines will still be available at the beginning of the launch of the new 508. These include the diesel from 1.6 to 2.2 liters with 115-204 hp. Over time, however, these engines will undergo a revision and are replaced by more modern, Euro-6 aggregates. Maintained from the existing diesel engine and electric motor hybrid version of the French.
Repositioning and launch
Whether the price of the new large cat will carry a premium character, is not yet clear. The current prices range between 28,050 euros for the smallest petrol sedan and 41,000 euros for the combi - top model with 204-hp diesel. By September 2014, we still have to be patient, then the vice-modeled and made fit for the future model of the Peugeot 508 will be available from the merchants. Whether Peugeot creates the reorganization remains to be seen . (ml )