Available as a saloon, SW estate and RXH four-wheel drive hybrid estate , the new model has been unveiled in London with the brand saying both Europe and China will play key roles in sales. China, which in 2013 became the biggest market for the 508, represents 30% of sales. As such, the new car will be presented to the public in August simultaneously at the forthcoming Moscow and Chengdu Motor Shows, then at the Paris Motor Show, with sales starting in Europe from September and from January 2015 in China.

As part of its new design, the latest 508 bears more assertive exterior styling with a new front-end that will be progressively rolled out on future models and includes a new grille. There’s also new front lamps, a more horizontal bonnet along with a redesigned rear end.

The interior has been revamped, with a simplified dashboard that now includes a 7-inch touch screen grouping together most of the vehicle's functionalities.

New features include Blind Spot Sensors and a reversing camera and there’s also now a range of connected services, dubbed Peugeot Connect Apps and helping with finding free parking spaces nearby, fuel prices at filling stations in the vicinity, traffic and weather information, and tourist information from the Michelin Guide or TripAdvisor.

Among the upgrades, the 2.0-litre BlueHDI 150 diesel with a six-speed manual gearbox will emit 105g/km CO2 in the saloon and SW estate, down from 109g/km and 110g/km respectively, and is said to be the best in the segment for this level of engine power.

There’s also a 1.6 litre THP 165 Stop & Start with a six-speed manual gearbox or the new EAT6 six-speed automatic gearbox. Replacing the Euro 5 1.6-litre THP 156, this new 165bhp engine gives reduced CO2 emissions from 131g/km with a 6-speed manual (compared to 144g/km plus for the previous generation).

Peugeot’s HYbrid4 technology is carried over to the saloon and the RXH and combines a 163bhp 2.0-litre HDi Diesel engine with a 37bhp electric motor driving the rear wheels. There’s four selectable driving modes (ZEV, 4WD, Sport and Auto) and CO2 emissions of 85g/km and with combined fuel consumption of 85.6mpg.

The new 508 is produced at Rennes for the European market and at Wuhan for China.