Aimed at the Volkswagen Jetta, the 408 is the four-door version of the Golf-fighting five-door 308 hatchback that the French automaker unveiled at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show. The two cars share roughly the same front end with a floating three-slat radiator grille, a wide air dam and angular headlights inspired by the 2008 crossover.
Out back, the 408′s tail lamps are similar to the ones that equip the 308 but they lose the hatchback’s claw-shaped LEDs in favor of more classic horizontal turn signal and reverse lights. Select trim levels come with dual exhaust pipes integrated into the rear bumper.
Peugeot is keeping full technical details under wraps until the 408′s official debut but it has confirmed the sedan will receive the ubiquitous 1.6-liter THP engine in a variety of power configurations. Chinese-spec 408s will not be offered with a diesel, but Russian-spec models will likely gain at least one HDi four-cylinder mill.
The 408 will go on sale in China and in other global markets such as Russia shortly after it debuts in Beijing. Look for the slightly more upscale European-spec 408 to bow next October at the Paris Motor Show and land in showrooms before 2014 comes to an end.
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