The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
A few of my formative years were spent in Tanzania in the mid-1970s, and one of my enduring memories from this period is of the plethora of Peugeot 404s and 504s plying the lumpy, potholed roads of Dar es Salaam. There was a reason for the Gallic brand’s popularity in the region: its cars were not only capable and comfortable, but also able to withstand the sustained pounding inflicted by the awful roads there at the time.
Peugeot seemed to lose its mojo in the noughties, churning out a succession of cars that were frumpy to look at and uninspiring to drive. Fortunately, the French marque has emphatically reversed the slide over the past few years, as its latest offerings (notably the 3008 and 5008 crossovers) reprise the elegant sense of style and supple ride that were former hallmarks of cars wearing the lion logo.
The 508 GT is the latest range-topping addition to the medium-large 508 sedan line-up.
Punchy performance
Priced at Dh130,000 ($35,398), the GT comes loaded with bells and whistles, but among its headline features is a 1.6-litre turbo motor that’s substantially uprated to eke out 217 horsepower and 300Nm (increases of 52hp and 60Nm over regular 508 models). Another element that’s unique to the flagship sedan is an eight-speed auto, in lieu of the six-speeder found in lesser 508s.
There’s a great sense of refinement in the way it goes about its work. A 1.6-litre turbo engine might seem small for a car of this size, but it punches well above its weight, and its 300Nm torque quota arrives early on, so there’s no need to rev the living daylights out of it. As a result, even brisk progress can be achieved without getting the decibel level soaring.
The chassis is also well sorted, serving up a nice balance between ride and handling. The GT lives up to its Grand Touring billing as you can hustle it through corners at a decent pace without any hint of tyre squeal or understeer.
It stays flatter and more composed than most contenders in this segment, and retains the suppleness to soak up road surface imperfections and speed humps without transmitting them through to the cabin.
It’s worth pointing out that the 508 GT I tested was equipped with 18-inch alloys shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres, but MY22 cars, which arrive from March onward, will be fitted with 19-inch rims as standard.
It’s got the looks
It only takes a few seconds to glean that the 508 recaptures the impeccable sense of style of ancestors such as the 504 Coupe. Most three-box sedans are yawn-inducing in the visual department, but the 508 has genuine wow factor and manages to look far more expensive than it actually is.
There’s a lovely taper to the profile and – although the 508 has a conventional boot – the roofline sweeps down in a clean, uninterrupted line to culminate in a sharp-edged lip at the rear of the bootlid. There are well-executed creases and bulges all over, and the way the daytime-running-light extends downward into the front spoiler to mimic a lion’s claw is a clever piece of design.
The cabin is also notably stylish and opulent for this segment, and the 508 GT’s living quarters aren’t that far off matching the interior ambience of German prestige sedans. All the touch-and-feel elements are nicely crafted, and there’s no sense of cheapness in any of the materials used.
The 12.3-inch central touchscreen for infotainment, vehicle settings and ventilation controls is intuitive to use, and touching it with three fingers simultaneously enables you to easily switch between the various menus. One criticism is that the tiny PlayStation-esque steering wheel, while nice to hold, obscures the bottom third of the instrument gauge cluster.
Overall, though, the 508 GT serves as further proof that Peugeot has rediscovered its best form. You’d be hard-pressed to find another sedan with more style and panache at this price point.
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The specs
Engine: 1.6-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 217hp at 5,750rpm
Torque: 300Nm at 1,900rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh130,000
On sale: now
THE APPRENTICE
Director: Ali Abbasi
Starring: Sebastian Stan, Maria Bakalova, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 3/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Get inspired
Here are a couple of Valentine’s Day food products that may or may not go the distance (but have got the internet talking anyway).
Sourdough sentiments: Marks & Spencer in the United Kingdom has introduced a slow-baked sourdough loaf dusted with flour to spell out I (heart) you, at £2 (Dh9.5). While it’s not available in the UAE, there’s nothing to stop you taking the idea and creating your own message of love, stencilled on breakfast-inbed toast.
Crisps playing cupid: Crisp company Tyrells has added a spicy addition to its range for Valentine’s Day. The brand describes the new honey and chilli flavour on Twitter as: “A tenderly bracing duo of the tantalising tingle of chilli with sweet and sticky honey. A helping hand to get your heart racing.” Again, not on sale here, but if you’re tempted you could certainly fashion your own flavour mix (spicy Cheetos and caramel popcorn, anyone?).
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Uefa Nations League: How it Works
The Uefa Nations League, introduced last year, has reached its final stage, to be played over five days in northern Portugal. The format of its closing tournament is compact, spread over two semi-finals, with the first, Portugal versus Switzerland in Porto on Wednesday evening, and the second, England against the Netherlands, in Guimaraes, on Thursday.
The winners of each semi will then meet at Porto’s Dragao stadium on Sunday, with the losing semi-finalists contesting a third-place play-off in Guimaraes earlier that day.
Qualifying for the final stage was via League A of the inaugural Nations League, in which the top 12 European countries according to Uefa's co-efficient seeding system were divided into four groups, the teams playing each other twice between September and November. Portugal, who finished above Italy and Poland, successfully bid to host the finals.
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
How to help
Call the hotline on 0502955999 or send "thenational" to the following numbers:
2289 - Dh10
2252 - Dh50
6025 - Dh20
6027 - Dh100
6026 - Dh200
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday
Borussia Dortmund v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm kick-off UAE)
Bayer Leverkusen v Schalke (5.30pm)
Wolfsburg v Cologne (5.30pm)
Mainz v Arminia Bielefeld (5.30pm)
Augsburg v Hoffenheim (5.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Bayern Munich (8.30pm)
Borussia Monchengladbach v Freiburg (10.30pm)
Sunday
VfB Stuttgart v Werder Bremen (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v Hertha Berlin (8pm)
Most F1 world titles
7 — Michael Schumacher (1994, ’95, 2000, ’01 ’02, ’03, ’04)
7 — Lewis Hamilton (2008, ’14,’15, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20)
5 — Juan Manuel Fangio (1951, ’54, ’55, ’56, ’57)
4 — Alain Prost (1985, ’86, ’89, ’93)
4 — Sebastian Vettel (2010, ’11, ’12, ’13)
The years Ramadan fell in May
More on animal trafficking
WORLD'S%2010%20HIGHEST%20MOUNTAINS
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The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
J%20Street%20Polling%20Results
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The specs: 2018 Jaguar E-Pace First Edition
Price, base / as tested: Dh186,480 / Dh252,735
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 246hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 365Nm @ 1,200rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
The specs: 2019 Mercedes-Benz C200 Coupe
Price, base: Dh201,153
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 204hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 300Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.7L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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