PEUGEOT is lifting the wraps from its new hybrid range-topper, the 508 RXH, at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show before going on sale next spring.
The car features the same 2.0-litre HDi diesel engine used in the 3008 Hybrid4 model and the powerplant drives the front wheels while an electric motor drives the rear ones.
With a maximum power of 200bhp plus four-wheel drive, the 508 RXH offers 100 per cent electric mode for town driving and is capable of delivering 67.2mpg with CO2 emissions of 109g/km.
Higher and wider than the saloon, the Peugeot boasts LED daytime running lights that give the impression of having three vertical ‘lion claws’ on each side of its grille.
And it comes equipped as standard with the likes of electric front seats, head up display, 18-inch wheels, panoramic glass roof, dark-tinted acoustic laminated side windows, half leather trim and the latest generation audio and sat-nav.
The French manufacturer is also showcasing its six-seater HX1 multi-purpose vehicle concept in Frankfurt.
Four reverse-opening ‘half-scissor’ doors provide easy access to the passenger compartment, which is designed to offer maximum comfort for the two passengers in both front and rear rows.
The design allows for a pair of retractable centre row seats thanks to a pull-out system based on the same principle used on the HR1 concept first shown at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.
Under the bonnet is a 204bhp, 2.2-litre HDi diesel, linked to an automatic six-speed gearbox. Coupled with a 95bhp electric motor, the combined output can develop a potential 299bhp.
However, one of Peugeot’s priorities is to maintain its position as environmental leader in the years to come, so the HX1 comes with lithium-ion batteries which can be recharged by ‘plugging in’ the vehicle to a standard 240V mains electric socket.
This means that it can cover up to 18.6 miles in all-electric drive mode and obtain a combined fuel consumption of 88.2mpg with CO2 emissions of 83g/km.