Peugeot 508 RXH

This is the Peugeot 508 RXH – a range-topping version of the 508 SW estate, combining Audi Allroad-style jacked-up suspension, rugged bodywork and the same 200bhp diesel-electric HYbrid4 powertrain recently fitted to the 3008.

Higher and wider than a 508 SW, the newcomer is a car that Peugeot says raises the brand's profile and "reinforces its technological and environmental leadership". It's not just the raised ride height, scuff plates and plastic sills that mark it our either - two sets of three LED running lights flank the central floating grille.

Under the skin, power comes from the 2.0-litre HDi HYbrid4 drivetrain which will soon go on sale in the 3008 HYbrid4. It uses a diesel engine to drive the front tyres and an electric motor to turn the rears - resulting in four-wheel drive and a total power output of 200bhp with 450Nm of torque. There's also an all-electric zero-emissions mode which contributes towards the combined fuel economy of 67.2mpg and CO2 emissions of 109g/km.

In keeping with the car's positioning at the top of the 508 range, equipment levels are generous. Electric front seats, a head-up display, 18-inch alloys and a panoramic glass roof make up just a handful of the standard kit.

Peugeot 508

The 508 range comprises a five-model line-up – ranging from Access, through SR, Active, Allure up to top-spec GT.  Prices for the Access saloon start at £18,150, while the SW estate kicks off at £19,175. The top-spec GT models cost £28,750 and £29,975 respectively. The entry prices undercut the Passat saloon by £725 and estate by £1,000.

Six engines will be available on the 508 at launch – two petrols and four diesels. The 120bhp entry-level 1.6-litre petrol comes with Peugeot’s robotized manual gearbox, while the 156bhp version comes with a six-speed manual.

The oil burners kick off with the 112bhp 1.6-litre, available with either a five-speed manual or robotized manual gearbox. The latter car also features stop start, helping cut emissions to 109 g/km of CO2 in the saloon and 110 g/km in the SW version.

There are three 2.0-litre diesels – the 140bhp version is manual only, while the 163bhp and 200bhp versions are connected to six-speed automatics.

Completing the myriad choices are two different front suspension setups. Lesser cars get conventional McPherson struts, while the 508 GT model features a double wishbone front suspension aimed at improving road holding and steering accuracy.

New Peugeot 208

In spite of Peugeot’s rich history in the small car market, the 208 is the company’s most radical reinvention of the supermini ever. 

The new car is smaller, lighter, cleaner and more stylish than the 207, bringing improvements in every possible way. And we have the first official pictures and 
all the details that matter.

Since the SR1 concept debuted at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, Peugeot has set about pursuing a new design direction, improving quality and reintroducing the sporty driving experience of old back into its products. And the clean sheet approach to the 208 is the culmination of that process.

Although the three and five-door are based on the same mechanicals, they have been designed from the outset as separate entities. In profile, 
the scallop taken from the side of the three-door begins at the tail-lights and curves down along the side of the car.

The five-door uses a less dramatic feature line that runs along the sill and turns upwards behind the front wheel.

Other differences include bars in the three-door’s grille – the five-door gets mesh – and a continuation of the chrome 
window trim into the C-pillar, which is a nod to the 205. 

Both cars get the floating grille treatment already seen on the 508, as well 
as foglamps set flush into the 
front bumper and boomerang rear lights complete with 
claw-like graphics.

Inside, the revolution continues. A large central touchscreen dominates the 
interior on all but the entry-level 208. This controls the 
entertainment and navigation functions, plus the vehicle dynamics. Owners wanting to personalise their car can get the screen trimmed in different ‘skins’. 

So it’s no surprise that the 
layout and materials bear no resemblance to the past, with a glossy finish on the console and soft-touch materials throughout. The steering wheel has shrunk, too, and you view the instrument cluster over the top of it, instead of through it, which Peugeot says helps drivers focus on the road.

It’s not only the steering wheel that’s smaller, either – the whole car is. It’s 7cm shorter and 1cm lower, but the wheelbase is the same as the 207’s. Incredibly, the cabin is more spacious, with 5cm extra legroom, plus the boot is 15 litres bigger, at 285 litres – that’s still 10 litres less than in a Ford Fiesta.

The more compact dimensions mean dramatic weight savings. On average, the 208 is 110kg lighter than the 207, with the base car weighing only 975kg. Plus, the shape, optimised in the wind 
tunnel, is more aerodynamic than ever – and fuel economy 
will be impressive as a result.

Full engine details have yet to be released, but CO2 emissions have fallen by 34g/km on average compared to the 207. And none of the five diesels, which range from 89bhp to 108bhp, emits more than 99g/km.