Peugeot’s new coup?abriolet

Peugeot’s 206 CC was the bestselling small coupé-cabriolet in the world with more than 366,000 produced. Adding the 307 CC models to that total gives Peugeot over 500,000 worldwide sales of coupé-cabriolet models in the past six years. It could be said that the 206 CC popularised the affordable coupé-cabriolet market sector.
The 207 CC is launched on the back of the increasing sales success of the three and five-door 207 hatchback models launched early in 2007. The 207 CC has big shoes to fill, and I feel it has done this and more. In Australia we have the choice of a 1.6-litre petrol and a 1.6-litre turbo petrol, an engine produced by Peugeot in conjunction with BMW. Both engines are used in conjunction with a 5-speed manual transmission but the 1.6-litre non-turbo petrol engine has an automatic transmission option available.
Although it remains a two-plus-two seater like the 206 CC it replaces, the new model is much larger overall and similar in size to the 207 hatchbacks. However, the rear seat space is still minimal and really they are not very practical except for small children. It is 20cm longer, 7.5cm wider and slightly higher than the 206 CC. Gone also is the cramped foot pedal configuration, which I found the most irritating of the 206.
The two-piece metal roof, designed and manufactured by Peugeot in-house, is operated electrically and takes 25 seconds to raise or lower, including windows being automatically retracted and raised. The roof lowers into the boot and is separated from the luggage by a roller blind which if not in place will not allow the roof to be folded down. In roof-up coupé form the luggage space is 449 litres, roof folded away this reduces to just 187 litres, marginally more than the 206 CC. With the roof down, luggage or shopping cannot be removed very easily from the boot area so annoyingly the roof has to be raised when loading or unloading.
Standard specifications include four electrically operated windows, electric mirrors, sports seats, radio and single CD player, air-con, remote locking and ABS . The turbo model has larger 17-inch alloy wheels, an aluminium finish to the front air intake, aluminium doorsill panels and control pedals, electronic stability program, automatic directional headlights and automatic wipers.
Safety features include five airbags as standard and there is an active roll-over protection system in the form of two hoops behind the rear seats that deploy should the car start to turn over. There is a strengthened structure for the body shell of the 207 CC over its hatchback stable mates.
Strong sills, pillars, doors and floor not only strengthen the car – they give it more rigidity so when the roof is down there is no body twist or shake and this ultimately improves handling and ride comfort. The high NCAP safety ratings apply to the 207 CC as well as the hatchback models.
Overall an excellent new model to add to the 207 range, it looks good and seems really well built. You can bet it will become the bestselling coupé-cabriolet following in the footsteps of the much lesser 206 CC.
AUTO FACTS
Price: $34,990-39,990
Engine: 1.6-litre petrol four and 1.6-litre turbo petrol four
Power: 88kW, 110kW; 160Nm, 240Nm
Transmission: 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic
Fuel: 6.5, 7.2
Good: An affordable cabriolet
Bad: That guppy face