Peugeot 508: Welcome to the mane attraction

MANILA, Philippines - You know that feeling of being watched, followed even, by questioning stares and double-takes? That’s something you need to get used to if getting behind the Peugeot 508’s wheel is among your plans.

Not that I’m complaining. In fact, I could say that you’d be too engrossed to notice. The moment you plop into the driver’s seat of a 508, you forget most anything else except the experience of savoring this historic French brand’s take on the midsize sedan. You will succumb to the Peugeot lion’s invitation to come hither.

Indeed, trust the French to know what falling in love is all about. This looker of a vehicle certainly stirs emotions within you. The flowing dashboard’s instrument panel is smartly, tastefully executed—from the legible analog gauges to the digital information available at the touch of a steering wheel button. The chrome-fringed instrument gauges are a welcome accent that accurately represents luxury through understatement. The center console controls are equally low-key and convey luxury, without any primordial need to get attention.

Of course, we all know that drivers need to focus on the road, not anywhere else. The 508 delivers in spades with its Head Up Display, which affords access to key driving information via a retractable panel atop the dashboard and within your field of vision. Everything just feels, well, natural.

I found the pop-out cup holders on the center console another thoughtful feature. My passenger, Eurobrands Distributor, Inc. marketing and communications director Dong Magsajo, and I had a great chat while easily accessing our coffee cups—compared to traditionally located holders that need you to look down or risk spillage or scalding.

After hitting the start/stop button, the adventure truly began. We hit the road to Punta Fuego Batangas via scenic, undulating Tagaytay.  The 508 relished the open spaces and welcomed the serpentine route. When it stretched its legs, the potent diesel power plant gave ample power—particularly useful when overtaking.

Back to its eye-candy appearance, the 508 is actually the first in the Peugeot stable to take cues from prestigious sibling, the SR-1 Concept. This heralds a new stylistic age for the Peugeot design team—the sweeping bonnet, low center of gravity, chiseled muscular features, unmistakably substantial profile.

The good folks at Peugeot took as much time perfecting the exterior as they did ensuring it matched the aforementioned thoughtful cockpit. They also had the foresight to make sure that materials used within were as durable as could be. Execs say the car is as good as new after even three years of use.

The 508’s wheels have been purposefully designed to reduce “curbing damage,” so that even when you inadvertently scrape the tire sidewalls, there is a lesser chance dinging the wheels.

There’s Hill Assist (to appease drivers who get antsy when stopping at inclines), electric parking brakes that automatically disengage when you shift into gear (perfect for the absentminded), and a sundry of other features. Suffice to say that much intuition (and obvious love) went into drawing up and producing the 508. Truly, Peugeot got this mold right.