2018 Peugeot 508 Flaunts Its Slick Fastback Design (With Video)

Peugeot’s 508 isn’t one of the brand’s most popular models, especially nowadays that everyone is buying crossovers and SUVs rather than anything else. Nevertheless, Peugeot think it has the capability to revitalize a declining segment by revealing the all-new, second generation Peugeot 508.

For starters, the brand has ditched its traditional sedan bodystyle for a more dynamic, more attractive fastback design. It has a long hood, short rear deck design that’s complemented by its frameless doors and aggressively sloping roofline. A bold face with its tear-drop LED daytime running lights, and pinched rear end give the Peugeot 508 a dynamic profile. Peugeot describes the 508 as combining “a bold new low coupé design with the enhanced practicality of five doors” and calls it “a five-door fastback coupé-saloon”. As far as bold ambitions go, they say that the all-new 508’s closest competitor is the Audi A5 Sportback. Additionally, the car’s dimensions have been minimized, which is contrary to the industry trend of incrementally increasing the car’s size per generation. The 508 is 80mm shorter at 4,750mm and lower at just 1,400mm. It rides on a slightly shorter 2,750mm wheelbase. Despite this, trunk space has increased from 473 liters to 485 liters, with the liftback design giving it increased practicality due to its cavernous opening.

Inside, we see the Peugeot 508 carrying the most futuristic version yet of Peugeot’s iCockpit design, which is highlighted by the use of a small steering wheel, a standard 12.3-inch TFT LCD gauge cluster, 10-inch infotainment touch screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, electronic gear lever, and ambient LED lighting. Numerous textures and surfaces adorn the interior, which is said to be Peugeot’s most premium interior to date. Continuing its focus towards the Audi A5 Sportback, Peugeot says that while headroom is “comparable to that offered in the Audi A5 Sportback” with which it shares the same length, “the front elbow room reaches 1,455mm, which is 50mm more than in the Audi. Similarly, the rear legroom is 30mm more generous”.

The Peugeot 508 will have a choice of five engines at launch, all driving the front-wheels. There are two petrol engines that produce 177 hp and 222 hp for the GT, and three diesels producing 128 hp, 158 hp, and 176 hp. All but the base diesel come standard with an 8-speed automatic, with the base diesel having the option for a 6-speed manual.

Riding the EMP2 platform that’s also shared with the Peugeot 5008 and 3008 crossovers, the Peugeot 508 benefits from a 70 kg weight reduction. As expected, the Peugeot 508 comes with the latest high tech driver aids that include Adaptive Cruise Control, Autonomous Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, etc. What’s unique to the Peugeot 508, however, is an infrared night vision camera that can detect pedestrians during low visibility situations at night.