The Peugeot 408 fastback has been updated, bringing a slick new look and a swathe of technological tweaks.
The revised styling brings it into line with the new 308 hatchback. The main-beam headlights are set lower on the front end than previously, making a new ‘three-claw’ daytime running light signature the focal point of the design. At the rear end, the 'Peugeot' script is backlit, in a first for the brand.
The powertrain offering remains the same as previously, with two hybrid options and one electric set-up. The entry-level hybrid and the electric e-408 are the same as previously, although the latter’s range is improved by two miles, to 283 miles, thanks to the fitting of more aerodynamic underbody cladding.
From this summer, the e-408 will also gain Plug and Charge functionality. This means that when a charging cable is connected to the car at a public charger, the car will automatically authorise payment for the electricity from the driver’s Free2Move app account. This removes the requirement to manually tap or insert a card into the machine, making the process of charging more convenient.
Peugeot said the feature is already available at 15,000 chargers across Europe – focused on arterial roads – and will “expand rapidly”.
The 408's plug-in hybrid powertrain, meanwhile, has had its electric-only range improved by three miles and its total output boosted by 15bhp to 237bhp.
Prices and a delivery date for the 408, which was revealed on Friday at the Brussels motor show, have yet to be confirmed, but the current 408 hybrid starts from £33,065, rising to £33,670 for the EV and £41,610 for the PHEV.
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I'd definitely like to be able to just plug in and go and have the payment taken automatically. Certainly worth the one-off job of putting an app on my phone.Car looks pretty nice too.
A few days ago I needed to top up my battery on the way home. I was just 10 miles short of range. I figured 10 minutes stop, just enough to grab a coffee. I stopped at a Costa along the motorway, with four 300kW charges next to it, all free. Perfect! Except it wasn't. No way to pay by card. I had to download some stupid app and set it up, which took way longer than it should. Why?? The only promised benefit was a free coffee! Really?? And the Costa guy said it's out of hours, come back in the morning.
Plug and charge app allows you to blah blah blah. Peugeot says it's available at 15000 chargers across Europe.
That reminds me of a similar app which held the promise of cheaper fuel when looking in to purchasing a PHEV. That product said 500,000 locations throughout Europe. Out of those 500,000 European locations, how many were in my native Scotland? TWO !