Don’t let that trick double kidney-style grille and aggressive styling fool you; what you see here isn’t a new BMW sports sedan but Peugeot’s next generation 508.
Expected to debut sometime next year, Peugeot’s all-new 508 seems to feature a bit of a fastback or 4-door coupe design at the rear, which is something we were actually expecting.
Despite recent reports stating that the new car would take some styling cues from the Instinct Concept, whatever is hidden underneath this camouflage looks a lot more like Peugeot’s Exalt four-door coupe concept to us.
The seemingly powerful shoulder line and raked roof line, not to mention the taillight graphics, all bring us back to the Exalt concept, although we obviously can’t be sure until the vinyl goes away.
What we do know is that this D-segment car is using PSA’s EMP2 platform, which also supports plug-in hybrid technology, allowing the French automaker to offer an electrified version of the 508. Other than that, a range of petrol and diesel engines is to be expected, although if those diesel engines are new or not, remains to be seen – Volvo for example has already stated they won’t be developing any new diesels.
When it comes to new technologies, if we’re to take PSA CEO, Carlos Tavares at his word, the new 508 could feature a whole bunch of new driver assistance systems, bringing the model one step closer to having fully autonomous driving capabilities.
Back in 2015, a Peugeot spokesman said that the new 508 will offer hands-free steering and automated braking control, plus the usual electronic assistance for highway driving and city parking.
When it goes on sale next year, the all-new 508 will serve as an alternative to the likes of the VW Passat, Opel Insignia, Ford Mondeo, Mazda6, Renault Talisman, Skoda Superb and Toyota Avensis. At the same time, sister brand Citroen will be abandoning the D-segment, with no current plans of replacing the C5.
Photo Credits: CarPix for CarScoops
PHOTO GALLERY
