Ooh la la.
Following the debut of the 508 saloon, French carmaker Peugeot is now readying to introduce a new body style to the 508 lineup, in the form of the 508SW. SW stands for ‘Sportswagon,’ and will likely be on the shortlist of people who detest SUVs but need more space than a saloon can offer on account of having a family dog.
Said dog can now travel in style if the images of the 508SW are anything to go by. We were left stunned when the 508 saloon made its debut back in February as a sexy 5-door fastback, and it seems that Peugeot has no intention to relent in its design-led onslaught. The 508SW has been revealed ahead of its launch in Paris, scheduled for later this year, and boy is it pretty.
The front end is shared almost entirely with the saloon, replete with the ‘fangs’ that extend at the furthest edge of either headlight. What’s worth focusing on is the form the car takes aft of the B-pillars, how the roofline curves down gently to a pert little spoiler, how the D-pillar seems to meet the taillight panel in such a way that it looks a lot like a particular Italian 2+2 grand-tourer.
The 508SW’s profile reveals a few other things as well. The muscular haunches of the saloon will be carried along to the more practical estate, as well as the frameless doors. Looking at the rear, the SW has carried over the single blacked-out panel that we saw on the saloon, replete with its intricate, delicate graphics. A complex treatment of the rear bumper rounds things off.
We didn't expect to see much variation inside, as the 508 and 508SW have historically shared a lot of common parts in the cabin. Indeed, little has changed inside, with iCockpit 2.0 perhaps being Peugeot's most obvious move to push into the semi-premium space. Expect to find things like full-grain Nappa leather, chrome detailing, black lacquer trim, wood inlays, and Alcantara among the list of available trims, though most of it will be limited to top-flight models.
Motivation for the 508SW will mirror those on the saloon, made up of turbocharged petrol and diesel mills. The top-spec petrol engine will come in the form of a 1.6-litre four-cylinder mill, with 168kW on tap. Those interested in fuel economy or long-distance driving will likely be more keen on the 2.0-litre turbodiesel 4-pot, with 134kW. Regardless of chosen powertrain though, you’ll get an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Later next year there'll be a plug-in hybrid variant too, offering something like 50km of full-electric range per charge. Perfect for inter-urban commuters.
The Peugeot 508SW will make its formal debut at the Paris motorshow later this year, before European deliveries begin early 2019. The 508SW will have to do battle with cars like the Ford Mondeo estate, Volkswagen Passat estate, and the Volvo V60 when it arrives, with none of the contenders weak in form or function. We understand that Peugeot Australia is keen to offer the 508SW to our market, though a business case for the car will have to be established first (and we've never been particularly keen on estates, have we).
For more information on Peugeot, check out our Showroom.
