The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
508 Fastback has wide appeal
THE new Peugeot 508 Fastback is one of those rare cars that looks good from any angle.
It’s both ultra-modern and retro at the same time, a fusion of style, substance and top quality that will have wide appeal and shows why the marque has made such great strides forward in recent years.
And it’s not just my opinion, the 508 has just come away with the accolade of the Grand Prix award for Most Beautiful Car of the Year 2018 held last month at the International Motor Festival in Paris.
The new PEUGEOT 508 won the award with over 34% of the votes.
The brand’s radical new fastback has already been presented 20 awards in nine countries, clocking up over 10,000 orders in Europe since launch in October 2018, following its public reveal in March 2018 at the Geneva Motor Show.
Boasting the latest-generation PEUGEOT i-Cockpit and a sharper, sleeker design than its predecessor, the much-anticipated new PEUGEOT 508 delivers exemplary road-handling, high performance petrol and diesel powertrains, countless technology features and is a quantum leap in quality and that really shows through.
The test car, a 1.5 BlueHdi Allure variant, was provided for road test by Trinity Peugeot, in Ardcavan, Wexford.
The very highly specified 508 Allure provided a lovely drive, firm and sure footed on the road with simply amazing fuel consumption, averaging more than 60 mpg during a weekend of both national and country roads.
There are some useful driver aides: blind spot monitoring, smart beam assist – which turns the main beams on and off automatically depending on oncoming traffic and lane assist.
The test car was fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox that was smooth and perfectly attuned to the 1.5 BlueHdi engine, which I found more than adequate for my needs.
The range starts at €34,600 for the Active 1.5 BlueHDi, while the Allure variant I road tested is available at €37,130 and provides a lot of car for the money.
Described as a simply stunning car that promises to shake up the D Segment, the new 508 meets stringent Euro 6.2 engine emissions controls and is packed with standard comfort and safety equipment.
Built on the efficient EMP2 platform, the new PEUGEOT 508 is available with a choice of four trims: Active, Allure, GT Line and GT.
Two petrol engines and four diesel engines are available, depending on trim chosen: a 1.6 THP petrol 180bhp automatic 8-speed; a 1.6 THP petrol 225bhp automatic 8-speed (GT only); a 1.5 BlueHDi diesel 130bhp 6-speed manual, 1.5 BlueHDi diesel 130bhp automatic 8-Speed; a 2.0 BlueHDi diesel 160bhp automatic 8-Speed; a top of the range 2.0 BlueHDi diesel 180bhp automatic 8-Speed.
Standard equipment on the entry level Active model includes the revolutionary i-Cockpit with 8 inch touchscreen, compact steering wheel and customisable heads up digital instrument panel, Mirrorscreen connectivity, 16 inch Alloys, spare wheel, speed limit recognition, lane keeping assist, cruise control and speed limiter, active safety brake, AGR (ergonomic) seats, visibility pack (automatic wipers and lights), visiopark 180 (front and rear parking aid with camera), electric folding mirrors and electrochrome rear view mirror.
The Allure level three model gains a 10 inch touchscreen with satellite navigation, blind spot monitoring, high beam assist, road sign recognition and recommendation, advanced driver attention alert, 17 inch alloys, USB x 2 in the rear, keyless access and start, lumbar support and dark tinted rear glass.
The level four GT Line benefits from 18 inch alloys, wireless phone charging, adaptive cruise control, full LED headlights and 3D LED rear lights, 2nd row armrest with ski flap, electric lumbar support and tilt, GT Line exterior and interior styling (GT Line badging, chequered chrome radiator grille, stainless steel scuff plates, perforated leather steering wheel with GT Line emblem) and iCockpit Amplify with Driver Sports Pack.
The range-topping GT version comes equipped with 18 inch alloys, Focal sound system, Nappa leather seats with full electric driver’s massage seat,
An estate version will arrive in Ireland in the coming month, while a plug-in hybrid petrol drivetrain will be sold on the new model from this autumn.