Peugeot To Turn On Style With Bold New 508

Exclusive images show more dynamic look for next big saloon.

- John McIlroy

PEUGEOT is planning a more style focused new generation of its 508,due in 2018 as a rival to everything from the BMW 3 Series to the Vauxhall Insignia and Volkswagen’s newly launched Arteon.

Sales of ‘D-segment’ saloons such as the 508, Insignia and Ford Mondeo have suffered in the past decade, thanks to the increasing popularity of SUVs and premium brands such as BMW, Audi and Mercedes offering more mainstream pricing on their models.

Peugeot’s sister brand Citroen is said to be completely abandoning the saloon format – at least for European customers – and will launch a C5 Aircross crossover (right) later this year instead. Peugeot insists it needs to maintain a saloon model alongside its 5008 SUV, however. Speaking last week at the Geneva Motor Show, product director Laurent Blanchet said: “The positioning of our brand is to be the best high-end mainstream. What does that mean?