Peugeot 508 PSE PHEV Launched In Germany, Costs More Than BMW’s M340i xDrive

Peugeot has opened the order books for the new 508 PSE (Peugeot Sport Engineered) in Germany, where it is available in two body styles.

The liftback model has a starting price of €66,640 (equal to $80,918), including tax, and the station wagon can be bought from €67,940 ($82,496). By comparison, the 374 PS (369 HP / 275 kW) BMW M340i xDrive, which does the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4.4 seconds, starts at €63,000 ($76,498).

Review: Peugeot 508 PSE – What’s The Brand’s Most Powerful Production Car Like?

The 508 PSE combines a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine with two electric motors, for a total output of 360 PS (355 HP / 265 kW) and 520 Nm (384 lb-ft) of torque. It uses an eight-speed automatic transmission and has all-wheel drive thanks to an electric motor driving the rear wheels, with the French automaker claiming a 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint time of 5.2 seconds and a 250 km/h (155 mph) top speed.

The 11.5 kWh battery that can be charged in less than 2 hours at a 7 kW wall box gives it an all-electric range of 42 km (26 miles). The hybrid returns 2 l/100 km (117.6 mpg US) combined on the WLTP cycle and emits 46 g/km of CO2.

Built at the Mulhouse factory in France for the European market, the 508 PSE boasts an exclusive body kit, with a new front bumper with winglets, a different grille, side skirts and a diffuser with cutouts on each side for the exhaust pipes. It also gets 20-inch wheels, three paint finishes (Selenium Grey, Nera Black and Pearl White), bespoke upholstery inside, a 10-inch infotainment system, i-cockpit, head-up display, premium audio and heated seats with massage function for the driver.

Standard equipment also includes features such as the adaptive cruise control with stop & go function, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning and night vision.

Note: Due to a slip of the tongue (or rather fingers), it was initially stated that the powertrain drove all four wheels through the eight-speed transmission, whereas – as some of you have correctly pointed out – the rear ones are driven by an electric motor. The article has since been amended.