For a car whose predecessor's calling card was jaw-dropping style (not necessarily in a good way), the Peugeot 508 is an astonishingly subtle sedan.
Design maturity, an attempt to find a wider market - call it what you will, Peugeot's new styling template leans a lot more towards German elegance than French experimental art.
Perhaps a little too much so, in some respects. The 508 is an undeniably sophisticated-looking car, especially in the aluminium silver of our test vehicle. But in case you hadn't noticed, this is the range-topping GT version, which has a larger 2.2-litre engine, bespoke double-wishbone front suspension and extra cabin equipment. At $65,990, it costs $11,000 more than the 2.0-litre Allure.
Hate to sound superficial, but will the neighbours notice? The GT has a small badge on the left of the grille and one-size-up 19-inch alloy wheels. That's about it appearance-wise. The GT is not one for the status-conscious.
It is a superb machine, though. The larger engine gives 150kW/450Nm - an extra 30kW/90Nm over the standard car - which serves up an immediately noticeable lift in performance. It lacks refinement at low speed but you can't argue with the power/torque delivery. Unusually for a French car with two pedals, I'm not even going to complain about the transmission, because the six-speeder is smooth and sensibly calibrated. The gearing is long but the torque can take it - with a good result for fuel economy, too. The combined figure of 5.7 litres per 100km is just 0.8 litres more than the 2.0-litre version.
