It's never a car show without girls! And the event has lots of them! :)
The VVIP of the night, (from left) En SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin; YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry; Her Excellency Madame Martine Dorance, France’s Ambassador and Mr Jean-Yves Dossal, Sales Director for Asian Operations at PSA Peugeot-Citroen.
YB Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed signing the launching board.
"The all-new 408 is ideal for young professionals with families who are looking for a car that offers space, performance and elegance," said SM Nasarudin SM Nasimuddin.
The Peugeot 408 is unveiled! Don in silver, the Peugeot 408 looks great from the side view, accompanied by gorgeous models.
The pricing for the 408 1.6 Turbo and 408 2.0 are RM125,888 and RM109,888 respectively, both on-the-road with insurance. Some might say why a 1.6 is more expensive than a 2.0? You'll have to read on to find out! The sculptured lines on the steeply raked bonnet flows nicely to the rest of the body, and the huge signature Peugeot grille goes along well with the sharp looking front end.
The rear end reminds me of the older Peugeot 406 though. Would appreciate the 408's rear design to be more adventurous like its front.
Below is the 1.6litre Twin Scroll Turbo High Pressure (THP) with Direct
Petrol Injection engine which can churn out 163hp at 6000rpm and 240Nm
of torque at 1400rpm. The powerplant is mated to a 6-speed auto adaptive
transmission with Tiptronic and Sport mode. 0-100km/h in 9.2secs and
has a top speed of 215km/h, this is seriously not a car to be messed
with!
Right now, this 408 Turbo has the most powerful engine in its class. As a
comparison, Proton Preve has 136hp and similar 240Nm of torque, but 408
Turbo reaches its peak torque at a relatively earlier 1400rpm. The
closest one will be Volkswagen Jetta, which has 158hp and 240Nm of
torque from 1500-4500rpm.
The 408 2.0 makes 145hp at 6000rpm and 200Nm of torque at 4000rpm.
What's interesting is the engine of the 408 Turbo is actually more
environmental friendly than the 408 2.0. The 1.6 Turbo has a more sporty
and stiffer suspension setup while the 2.0 is on the comfort side.
Looks like the 1.6 Turbo is on the naughty side while the 2.0 is on the
nice side :)
Future plan for a sport edition Peugeot 408?
Equipment wise, both the 408 Turbo and 2.0 come with "Follow Me Home" and auto headlamps, auto wiper, dual-zone front air-conditioning and cruise control with speed limiter.The 408 Turbo gains some extras like premium leather seats, auto dimming rear view mirror and leather wrapped steering wheel with aluminium inserts.
In the safety department, both variants has 2 smart airbags for driver and front passenger, ABD, EBD and EBA while the 408 Turbo has additional 4 airbags, Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) and Anti-skid Regulation (ASR).
The dashboard for 408 Turbo. Like every other Peugeot, the cabin felt solid and upmarket.
The dashboard for 408 2.0, notice the difference?
Peugeot claimed that the 408 has class leading rear legroom. With its 2700mm wheelbase, a person with 5 foot 7 frame like me has no problem fitting into the back seat with the front seat adjusted to my comfort. Rear headroom is ample, and the leather seats are plush and comfy, just like any other Peugeot.
Rear air-cond outlet, a rare feature in C-segment! Right now I can only think of Volkswagen Jetta which also has air-cond for its rear passengers.
At 562 litres, the 408's boot space is also class leading, and I think it even triumphs some D-segment cars! (sorry for the low-quality boot shot)
It would be great if the media and bloggers are given a chance to test the 408. I'll be glad to have a chance to put my hands on the 408 as I would be able to compare it with a C-segment sedan that I usually drive.
In conclusion, I think the 408 Turbo is a more sensible choice due to its more powerful powerplant, better safety features and more equipments. The extra RM15k over the 408 2.0 worth every penny of it. Besides, you can benefit from lower road tax, cheaper insurance and also more friendly to the environment. However, if you are feeling nice, the 408 2.0 will be there for you.
Check out some official photos of the Peugeot 408:
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