IN the brave new world of crossovers it is reasonable to say that French car group PSA has the sheep well penned in with Peugeot's 008 series, Citroen's younger more family attractivemodels and the sheer technology and luxury which comes with a DS 7.

Not everyone, however, wants to rely on an SUV badge to enjoy technology like the i-Cockpit, head up display or induction phone charging.

And the lack of sleekness which comes with an ultimately functional design leaves others drivers cold.

Mind your backs, here comes the radical Peugeot 508, a sports coupe which moves away from the usual formula to deliver five-door convenience, good looks and a premium interior of leather, piano black and chrome along with the most recent technology.

That includes the option of the night vision function first seen on the DS 7 which allows the driver to see objects out of beam range thanks to intra red cameras. The image is shown on the instrument panel.

Within is the lauded i-Cockpit, flat bottomed compact steering wheel, 10-inch touch screen display and 12 inches head up unit yet retaining the clean lines which these days defines Peugeot instrumentation.

All versions are well kitted out with GT and First Edition models getting a massage seating, there is a panoramic sunroof and a raft of driving aids.

These include adaptive cruise, active lane steering, driver attention monitoring, auto emergency braking, extended road sign recognition and full park assist with a 360 degree camera.

The Peugeot Connect pack incudes 3D navigation and TomTom traffic.

There are two 1.6 petrol PureTech versions both with and eight-speed automatic gearbox, a 180 stop start and a 225 which is an inspirational drive.

The BlueHDi dieselsstart with a manual 1.5 130 and the four-version range has three two-litre options with automatic gearboxes, 130, 160 and 180. A smoother engine you will struggle to find than the largest diesel..

Handling is sure and there is little doubt that this is a model for people who love cars.

There are two core versions, Active and Allure, a GT Line specification, the dynamic GT version and range-topping First Edition.

Is it practical? The boot holds 480-litres in a segment which is quite proud to boast 350. Rear leg room is no more than you expect in a coupe but does not detract from the whole package.

The dropped body height and exterior trim details had heads turning, the 508 Fastback certainly looks the part and the technology fitted is far from just toys, it does a proper job.

Prices start spot on £25,000 and higher spec diesel versions are expected to account for the majority of sales. A plug in hybrid will follow next year.

Fleet sales are expected to be strong and almost 80 per cent of drivers will opt for automatic.