A week after encountering Sebastien Loeb’s, 156 bend, Pikes Peak conquering Peugeot 208 T16, at Goodwood’s Festival of Speed, I fortuitously took possession of the two litre 508 which, to be frank, is no slouch.
In fact, my abiding memory of this stronger 508 was its speed over a short distance, the almost telepathic response of the steering.
And I was surprised because the 508 is a big saloon. It looks it from the outside and doesn’t disappoint once you have shifted a few bums inside.
The 508 has four different diesel engines, from the smaller 1.6 (112 bhp) to the 2.2 (204 bhp), but for me the smart money is on the 2.0 L Hdi (140 bhp), the six speed transmission with more than ample torque: 320 Nm at 2,000 rpm which, in the words of Peugeot, guarantees appreciable re-acceleration.
It is easy to fall for the 508’s charms, once you become settled with the ultra responsive steering and the suspension, which to the ingenue begins on the soft side.
The 508 is fitted with a double wishbone front suspension with a drop link hub carrier, and, directional stability aside, gives the driver an acutely intuitive feel.
It is as if the suspension is springy, but once your confidence in the traction at speed escalates, the car is quite simply phenomenal.
The 508 has a few cosmetic additions which, if anything, are a signpost to Peugeot’s sporting GNA: the single floating grille and the leonine red claws at the back.
The cabin trim, thankfully, is bereft of busy dashboard bling. The fascia, immersed in black, is efficient and no nonsense, exactly what you need in a car as potentially fast as the two litre 508, with key dials clearly visible behind the unobtrusive three spoke steering wheel.
Most 508’s are destined to be family cars, and once you open the boot it is easy to see why: the volume here reaches an exceedingly generous 545 litres, which increases to 1,581 litres with the seats folded.
What else do you need to know? More than half of Peugeot’s worldwide sales are of cars producing less than 140g of CO2 per km, and Peugeot is the leader in a range of proven technologies designed to improve environmental performance.
The diesel engine combined with particle emission filter (FAP), results in a 99.99% reduction of particle emissions. Other breakthrough technology includes integration of the Stop & Start system and the development of a new generation of HDi engines.
95% of every new 308 is recyclable, including the metals, glass, fluids, plastic materials and rubber, an almost fully recyclable car.
The 508’s Electronic Stability Program (ESP), which groups together a host of braking technologies, ensures dynamic handling and delivers a high level of safety.
The electric parking brake is automatically applied when the engine is stopped, including if it is stalled. The parking brake is then automatically released on acceleration.
The Hill Assist function coupled with the electric parking brake maintains the brake temporarily (for two seconds) when the vehicle is on a gradient, to assist with moving away more smoothly.
