Peugeot drops "easter eggs" on upcoming 408 crossover
Peugeot hints at 408 PHEV variant
Earlier in the month, the 408 was announced as the latest addition to Peugeot's pride, revealing only the lion badge and the said nameplate.
But as we get closer to its June 22 debut, the French automaker revealed more details about the upcoming new model, and then some.
For starters, Peugeot gave us a glimpse of the 408's front fascia, albeit in a camouflaged state. We can still see that the 408 follows the frameless grille and the trademark lion fangs from the automaker's new design language.
Meanwhile, the second teaser image revealed the 408's “dynamic fastback saloon” shape, that according to Peugeot, has “undergone extremely thorough aerodynamic work to optimize air penetration from all angles”.
Not to be confused with the 408 sedan, Peugeot also announced the upcoming crossover will be called the 408X in China. But for other markets, the new model will be simply called the 408.
On the other hand, Peugeot may have dropped a major easter egg based on the file names of their images, which includes a “PHEV” after the 408 name. This means the crossover could be offered with a plug-in hybrid variant.
That of course also led us to believe that the 408 may have a lot of things in common with its PSA Group brother, the Citroen C5 X. For one, the C5 X features a liftback silhouette with increased ground clearance and crossover styling. In addition, after checking the Citroen's details and specifications, we found out that it was using the PSA EMP2 platform for compact and mid-size cars; a segment where the 408 is expected to slot in.
Also, in terms of powertrains, the C5 X uses the 1.2-liter Puretech three-cylinder turbo from the 2008, the 1.6-liter turbo-four from the 3008, and you guessed it, a plug-in hybrid in the form of a 1.6-liter Puretech engine and a 109 PS electric motor. Since Peugeot hinted at a PHEV 408, then we could expect them to also have these engine offerings for their upcoming model.
We're only a few days away from Peugeot revealing another attractive-looking crossover. But the question is, will the 408 be offered here in the Philippines?
