ON THE ROAD- IAN LYNAS PREVIEWS THE NEW PEUGEOT 408

My first introduction to Peugeot came many years ago, when as a student I drove new cars from a dealership near Gatwick Airport back home to a local dealer; the reason was that he could not get enough 404 models to satisfy customer demand.

The box shaped 404 was a huge hit with farmers and while it was never noted for style it was reliable and indeed it was widely bought and used throughout Africa. That was also my first introduction to a car being identified by numbers rather than name, which brings me to a newcomer from the French carmaker, the new 408. In its latest guise the 408 is positioned towards the top of the C segment of the market; where Peugeot is well represented with the 308, 3008 and 5008 ranges.

Styling is eye-catching, a distinctive fastback design with sophisticated detailing both front and rear. A reworked grille and bumper gives a bold look, enhanced by sophisticated 3 D sculpting and increased use of black, combining gloss and matte finishes. I always feel that wheels, the right choice, add the finishing touch to any car and with this new Peugeot the hybrid and plug-in-hybrid models are available with exclusive nineteen inch Adakite wheels; these are standard on Allure and GT trims. The plug-in- hybrid GT Premium has twenty inch Monolithe wheels. Moving to the interior and a new digital instrument cluster awaits with enhanced graphics. Move up to the GT Premium and optional on the GT, the digital instrument cluster features 3D graphics.
The cabin certainly has an elegant feel with the use of refined fabrics for seats and trims, far removed from the basic interior of the 404 which I drove so many years ago. There are eight ambient lighting colours, which extend from the dashboard to the door panels, this delivers a rather cosy, warm atmosphere. To the heart of the matter and power choice for the new 408. the E-408 delivers 210bhp (157kW) and plenty of torque, 343 Nm. The hot topic of range, moderate at 455km (283 miles). Peugeot claim that this range should be adequate for most who decide on the E-408. Charging, critical for most, the on-board charger supports up to 120kW, thus enabling a twenty percent to eighty percent charge in around thirty minutes, which is probably about average. Exclusive to the new 408 , the240e-DCS7 plug-in-hybrid delivers 178bhp (132kW) petrol engine with a 92kW electric motor, which are paired with a seven speed dual clutch. Peugeot claims 85km (53 miles) on pre electric; of course as always this is all down to driving conditions. The 408 Hybrid pairs a 143bhp (107kW) petrol engine with a six speed dual clutch electrified automatic transmission. The battery charges automatically while been driven giving extra torque. I recall that with the 404 a three speed ZF automatic transmission was available, one similar to that favoured by BMW. Like so many other aspects of the modern day motor car, transmissions continue to improve.

Summing up with this new model from Peugeot, safety is major and it is equipped with a driver monitoring camera as standard; this system uses a camera located on the driver side windshield pillar which monitors a driver’s alertness and state. Should the system detect if anything is wrong, an audible alert is issued, no excuse for falling asleep at the wheel.

Ian Lynas