SHORT AND SWEET FINDING AUTHENTICITY NORTHERN GEMS ...

As far as coastal towns go, it doesn’t get anymore laidback than
Alicante. Spain’s famous Costa Blanca is fraught with the ideals
of a good life. Palm-lined pedestrian walkways and wonderful
boulevards all look out towards the city’s talc-fi ne sandy beaches; holidaymakers walk
in fl ip-fl ops, locals bicycle leisurely, and the air is wonderfully light with the relaxed
attitude typical of a seaside town. Which is why having us cruising in the grand looking
and spanking new Peugeot 508 had some giving us a bemused glance.
Imposing is perhaps too dramatic a word to describe Peugeot’s latest. But driving a big
French car in a quaint town such as Alicante does take some brave choices. For the car
maker, brevity though equals effective communication.
Peugeot announced that the 508 range is replacing its ageing 407 and 607. It doesn’t
matter that big cars are falling out of favour in Europe, except with corporate bigwigs
and cabinet ministers using them as company cars. The company is interested more
in the China market, the leading car market of the world, where it believes the car is
particularly well suited to local’s requirements. While models for the European market
continue to be produced in Rennes La Janais in northwest France, Peugeot has already
begun production of the 508 saloon in 2011 at its plant in Wuhan, China.
And there’s a lot to like with this big entry, with both a saloon and SW estate body
styles available.
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