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The all-new Peugeot 508 has been officially revealed following the leakout of the first photos earlier today. Available in sedan and station wagon body styles, the 508 replaces two cars in Peugeot's range, the 407 and 607. The French marque's Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat contender will make its world debut at the Paris Motor Show in late September and go on sale early next year.
The 508 is the production version of the '5 by Peugeot' concept car seen in Geneva this past March, and according to Peugeot, it introduces the firm's new -and more subtle- design language as previewed on the SR1 Concept sports car. Expect to see the same type of grille finding its way on all future Peugeot models.
For the first time we get a look at the 508's interior, which according to the French carmaker, combines hi-tech features with the use of "high quality materials" both "visually and to the touch".
Based off the PSA Group's platform 3 that also underpins Citroen's C5 as well as the outgoing 407, the 508 sits between the 407 and 607 in terms of size. At 4.79 meters in length, the sedan variant of the 508 is about 100mm longer than the 407 saloon but 100mm shorter than the 607. The more practical Station Wagon model is slightly longer than the sedan measuring 4.81 meters in length.
Peugeot did not release many technical details on the 508, but it did confirm the availability of a HYbrid4 version after launch - most likely in mid 2011. This model will combine a turbo diesel engine mounted at the front of the car with an electric motor located at the rear, providing a combined output of 200-horsepower with all-wheel drive and emissions of 99g/km of CO2 or zero in electric mode.
The French automaker added that the 508 will be offered with a variety of diesel and petrol engines, all benefiting from the latest fuel-saving technologies such as a start and stop system.
The European market versions of the new 508 will be produced in Rennes in France, while Peugeot also revealed plans to build the car in China for the local market starting from next year.
The newly appointed boss of AMG, Ola Kallenius, will continue the extensive AMG Performance 2015 programme, which started under former head Volker Mornhinweg. Among the key models to be launched during the 2010-2015 period, he suggested possible supersport versions for the upcoming C-Klasse Coupe and A-Klasse.
The future C-Coupe AMG will feature a 5.5 liters twin turbo V8 under its bonnet. This powerplant is prone to produce around 500 BHP, which instantly transform the car into a powerful BMW M3 fighter(as in the case of the outgoing CLK 63 AMG). The forthcoming A-Klasse lineup will include a small class coupe, tipped to be badged CLC. This new model will sport a rear-wheel-drive platform, developed using the MFA underpinnings as basis. But the CLC AMG version, expected to show up at the end of 2012, might go for an all-wheel-drive architecture instead, joined with a new 4-cylinder inline, twinturbocharged engine, that could be capable of achieving over 300 BHP.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
Stuttgart, Germany, Jul 15, 2010
- Active Brake Assist 2 also applies the brakes if stationary obstacles are detected in front of the vehicle
- Active Brake Assist: tried and tested over a total of more than three billion kilometres
- Radar-controlled system detects stationary obstacles
- Decisive advantage: effective from 0-89 km/h and robust under all weather and light conditions
The world's safest truck is now even safer: Mercedes-Benz is introducing second-generation Active Brake Assist for the heavy-duty Actros truck. This unique and multi-award-winning safety system now has even greater capability: whereas the first-generation system applied the brakes automatically if it detected a risk of a head-to-tail collision with a slow-moving obstacle in front of the vehicle, Active Brake Assist 2 is also activated if a stationary obstacle is detected. Active Brake Assist has already proven its worth in more than 14,000 trucks and over a total of more than three billion kilometres on Europe's roads.
Active Brake Assist: tried and tested over a total of more than three billion kilometres
Anti-lock braking system, acceleration skid control, disc brakes all round, electronically controlled braking system, high-pressure braking system, Brake Assist, Lane Assistant, roll control, proximity control – the list of safety technologies and systems that have celebrated their world premiere in Mercedes‑Benz trucks is a long one. One development highlight is the revolutionary Active Brake Assist system, which was introduced for the Mercedes-Benz Actros heavy-duty truck in 2006 and has since proven itself time and time again out on the road.
Many truck drivers have reported situations in which the safety system has prevented accidents. The experts are agreed: Active Brake Assist has saved lives – not only those of Actros drivers and occupants but also those of the people in the vehicles in front. Many insurance companies are also convinced that this system is good for their customers and, therefore, ultimately for themselves, prompting them to offer discounts on premiums for commercial vehicles equipped with this technology.
The new Active Brake Assist 2 system sets yet another milestone. Whereas the first-generation safety system only initiated emergency braking if there was a risk of a head-to-tail collision with a vehicle in front, Active Brake Assist 2 also applies the brakes if stationary obstacles are detected, for instance a suddenly encountered traffic tailback on the motorway. Daimler Trucks has therefore taken a further step towards realising its vision of accident-free driving, as part of its "Shaping Future Transportation" global initiative.
Radar-controlled system detects stationary obstacles
The radar used by the Active Brake Assist 2 system scans an area of 1-200 m in the lane ahead of the truck whilst continuously determining the distance to a vehicle in front or a stationary obstacle as well as the difference in speed between the two vehicles. If, based on the current driving style, an accident is unavoidable, the driver initially receives visual warnings in the form of a red triangle which lights up and an audible alarm. If the situation gets any worse, the system responds by applying the brakes.
The warning concept is designed to allow drivers to diffuse critical situations themselves; that's because braking initiated by Active Brake Assist 2 with 50% of the maximum braking power gives drivers the time that is needed to avoid an accident themselves.
Decisive advantage: effective from 0-89 km/h and robust under all weather and light conditions
Active Brake Assist 2 offers decisive advantages over other systems currently under development. The tried-and-tested radar technology operates robustly under all weather and light conditions, for instance. What's more, Active Brake Assist is effective across a truck's entire speed range – from 0 km/h or slow driving at brisk walking pace to motorway speeds of up to 89 km/h (when the speed limiter is activated).
Although Active Brake Assist 2 cannot always prevent accidents, the automatic application of the brakes does reduce the collision speed and, therefore, mitigates the consequences of accidents substantially.
Active Brake Assist 2 will replace the previous system at the turn of the year. As in the past, Mercedes-Benz will be doing all it can to ensure that Active Brake Assist 2 is installed in as many trucks as possible by offering packages incorporating this and other safety systems at attractive prices.
Active Brake Assist 2 is celebrating its premiere in the Mercedes-Benz Actros in late September at the International Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover.
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