Peugeot 508 sedan and wagon coming to Australia in 2018
Next-gen French rival to Holden Commodore to get downsized petrol turbo and eight-speed autoPeugeot has confirmed that its all-new replacement for the 508 sedan will go on sale in the second half of 2018 and be followed by a wagon version less than three months later.
The new 508 features a more rakish design and four-door coupe-like silhouette. Developed to go head-to-head with premium rivals like the BMW 3 Series and all-new Volkswagen Arteon, the French car maker has already confirmed its intent to distance the new car from mainstream sellers like Ford's Mondeo and, locally, the Opel-based next-gen Holden Commodore.
Originally, it was thought Peugeot might drop right-hand drive markets altogether following the global decline of the D-segment, but according to PSA Group's Oceania's sales boss, Olivier Daurele, both the 508 sedan and 508 wagon have already been confirmed for Down Under.
Daurele wouldn't confirm exact dates for when to expect the 508, but hinted it would arrive in the second half of 2018.
"The 508 will come some time in 2018, followed by the wagon a few months later. There is still a small market for such a car in Australia," he told motoring.com.au.
Based on an evolution of Peugeot's Efficient Modular Platform 2 (EMP2), the next 508 should be at least 100kg lighter than the car it replaces.
A hybrid powertrain is expected but according to Daurele, Peugeot Australia is considering just one engine option; a 166kW version of the 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder THP petrol that will be combined with the Aisin EAT8 eight-speed automatic transmission.
Set to feature a spacious and luxurious cabin, the 508 is almost certain to debut PSA's semi-autonomous cruise control that, according to the sales boss for Australasia, is in a late stage of development.
Peugeot was originally set to reveal its 508 this September at the Frankfurt motor show but those plans have changed. The French car maker announced last December it was skipping the German auto show. Instead, Peugeot claims it will reinvest the millions of euros saved on digital marketing.
It's now thought the car maker will unveil its all-new 508 ahead of Frankfurt towards the end of August.
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