Make me an instant expert: what do I need to know?
The new 508 is based on the same
EMP2 platform as the 3008, although the 508 has a substantially larger footprint
(118mm longer in the wheelbase alone) and it’s around 200m lower. Because it’s not an SUV, right?
We’ll only see the 508 in flagship GT form. Nice and simple.
Although the rollout for New Zealand is a little complicated. In March we’ll see the 508 fastback in a limited run (15 cars) with leather upholstery for $57,990. From May it’ll be Alcantara rather than leather, for $55,990. Leather will remain as a $3000 option – so $1000 more expensive than those firstrun cars.
Similar situation for the 508 SW: leather for a run of 15 cars at
$59,990 in September, with the launch of the standardspecification model with Alcantara to come ‘‘later’’ at
$57,990.
The GT model comes with Peugeot’s familiar 1.6-litre turbopetrol engine turned up to 11: it makes 169kW/300Nm, drives the front wheels through an eightspeed gearbox and comes as standard with three-mode adaptive suspension.
The Comfort/Normal/Sport active suspension setup is a first for Peugeot. Other new tech for the Lion brand in the 508 includes adaptive cruise with stop/go, Highway Assist with a lanekeeping function that maintains the middle of the road (rather than simply reacting to the white lines), fully automatic parking assist and the $3500 option of Night Vision, also a first for the segment, says Peugeot.
Pretty much everything else that opens and shuts is standard: 3D satellite navigation, keyless access, five-mode massaging seats with Action for Healthy Backs (AGR) endorsement and pumpedup Focal sound system.
Focal? No, we hadn’t heard of it either, but it’s a big deal in France. Try it, you’ll like it. winding forest roads and constantspeed cruising along the Lisbon waterfront.
Peugeot’s familiar but stillunique iCockpit layout – steering wheel down low, instruments up high – takes a bit of getting used to in a larger car. But it does work in giving the cabin a more premium feel than your average medium wagon. That large screen and row of shiny piano key-style switchgear in the console look pretty swish, too.
There’s still some hard plastic in places – evidence that much more humble versions of the 508 are available in Europe – but that’s offset quite effectively by the classy trim choices in the GT model.
You do get loads of storage in the cabin: the cooled glovebox can take two 1.5-litre bottles, while the door bins and centre console box are also generous.
The 508 SW GT is a smooth operator on the road, providing you are, too. The steering is light and modestly geared at three turns lock-to-lock, so it takes some time to get used to that tiny wheel.
The 1.6-litre turbo engine is muscular from low speed and the eight-speed automatic shifts seamlessly as long as you’re steady with the throttle. Drive too aggressively and the transmission can become flustered, although you can always take over manual control.
The ride was impressive on our test loop, even on the GT’s 19-inch wheels. The active suspension cannot be adjusted on its own. Instead, it’s linked to the five drive modes, as well as Peugeot’s iCockpit Amplify ‘‘Relax/Boost’’ settings (which also adjust interior fragrance and seat massage patterns).
There’s not a huge difference between the suspension settings, but that’s the nature of the 508 GT: it’s a dynamically subtle car; more about fast, fluid point-topoint travel than press-on driving.
The 508 GT represents a real step up for Peugeot’s driverassistance technology.
The stop/start adaptive cruise