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Peugeot 508 Confirmed for Australia

SYDNEY – June 1, 2011: Buoyed by the excitement surrounding the immediate success of the 508 in Europe, today Peugeot Automobiles Australia confirmed the model line up and the launch date for the striking new 508 range.

Ken Thomas, General Manager / Director of Peugeot Australia stated “Peugeot Australia is delighted to announce the public launch of the 508 coinciding with the opening of the Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne on Friday 1st July 2011, with the on sale date a fortnight later on Friday 15th July”.

The European sales launch of the 508 earlier this year, (the sedan body style on 3 February and the Touring wagon version on 10 March) has seen the 508 enjoying significant success with 5,000 cars registered in Q1 2011. Over 4,000 orders were taken in March and more than 8,000 orders since the beginning of April. A total of 80% of sales were of the high-performance, top of the line ‘GT’.

The upward momentum of the 508 offering in Europe confirms what was already expected. Mr. Richard Grant, National Marketing Manager believes this is a great start. “This bodes well for the car’s consumer acceptance here in Australia, as it has passed the test very quickly in one of the toughest markets in the world.”

Furthermore, the Peugeot 508 picked up the 2010 Auto Trophy in Germany, where readers of the respected Auto Zeitung magazine gave the 508 first prize in its category ahead of eighteen of its rivals. Jean-Marc Gales, a member of the PSA Peugeot Citroën Managing Board and Executive Vice-President Brands accepted the prize at the Auto Trophy awards evening on 23 November in Dusseldorf, and declared: "The Peugeot 508 marks the return of Peugeot in the large touring car segment. Its style and appeal combined with its sheer quality and new generation technologies, illustrate Peugeot's ambitions in this category of the market. The vote by readers of Auto Zeitung, several months before its launch, gives us considerable grounds for optimism as to its future commercial success".

Mr. Thomas confirmed the variants that will be made available in Australia, which include:

508 Sedan

508 Touring wagon

508 GT sedan

508 will be available with a range of turbo petrol and HDi diesel engines.

“The new 508 range will command attention immediately from buyers looking for all the space and comfort of a medium / large car without compromising on fuel efficiency and low emissions” said Mr. Thomas. “Not only will the 508 be priced very competitively against its traditional European rivals – with all the luxury and refinement expected in its class – but it will bring a host of smart technologies that quite literally elevate the art of car making to a whole new level.”

The eagerly awaited 508 1.6ltr turbo diesel fitted with e-HDi is expected to arrive later in the year with an estimated on sale date of September and will be the first model in the range to feature Peugeot’s innovative new STOP / START technology mated with intelligent electronic gear box control. The appeal of this combination will be the ability to achieve fuel consumption and CO2 emission figures respectively in the region of 4.4 litres per 100km and 114 grams per kilometre, the likes of which have never been seen in this segment.

Recently at the international launch of the 508 a spokesperson for the PSA Group stated “The future of the automobile will be defined by a combination of style, dynamism, mobility, functionality, value and above all else new engine technologies.

High on the agenda for Peugeot customers will be a demand for cars that deliver better economy and lower emissions without compromising overall performance. Technologies such as e-HDi, HYbrid4, Euro 5, high-output turbo engines and electronic vehicles will lead the way. PSA is at the forefront of all of these technologies.”

Mr. Thomas also added “This is an exciting time to be a part of the motor industry, as we enter a decade that will no doubt be heralded as an era of innovation and technology. We here at Peugeot Australia are looking forward to setting a new benchmark in the large car class in which the 508 will compete.”