11:19am Thursday 4th June 2009
By Steve Teale
When it comes to convertibles, it’s hard to look beyond Peugeot, especially if you’re a woman.
The French company has made itself the number-one manufacturer of convertibles, thanks to its faith in new-fangled technology.
This marque just loves the folding metal systems which have become so fashionable in recent years, with no end of companies following suit.
Not every company likes them. Audi, for one, prefers its soft-tops to be, well, soft. The Germans do have a point, because metal roofs are heavy, hard to store and, quite often, ugly.
But Peugeot loves them. The fact that the boot is limited and the roof overly-complicated is of little matter, because people love them, especially women of a certain age.
Any style-conscious woman who’s doing well for herself will find herself gravitating towards a convertible, more often than not a Peugeot.
It started with the 206 CC, which was a phenomenon. To say that the car was successful is a bit of an understatement. So much so that the formula was repeated with the firm’s larger 307 and 206 replacement (207), and now the new 308.
The problem with such cars has always been the issue of how to accommodate the roof when retracted.
Like mobile phones, the solution has become more elegant over time. Long-gone is the dumpy, bulbous rear end. The 308 sports an elegant rear, so to speak.
In fact, the 308 is a pretty appealing car from all angles. Key to this is its streamlined profile. Lord only knows how the engineers and designers did it, but they’ve managed to accommodate the complexities of the folding roof and give the car an elegant stance.
The 308 CC looks especially good from the rear – something that’s hard to do at the best of times.
There are no surprises inside the 308 CC, although this is not a bad thing. Just like the hatch it’s based on, the CC cabin looks like a quality item from a sector above its price. Cast your eye around this 308’s interior and the build quality is nothing short of impressive.
The same is true of the overall design and ambience. Sure, it’s pretty much the same as a high-end 308 hatch but, somehow, it gains something extra in the transition from five-door to drop-top.
Peugeot appears particularly bullish when asked about the 308 CC. Granted, there’s a reputation to uphold, although the success of its predecessors is no accident: an attractive product, something that’s good value for money and also practical.
That last part is important; the concept of a folding metal roof is now a widely-accepted one, yet only when experienced first-hand do you fully appreciate it’s all-weather robustness.
It’ll keep the bad weather and the vandals out, and puts the coupe into coupe cabriolet. Best of all, it can be retracted electrically while creeping along in traffic in around 20 seconds.
From that moment on, life suddenly feels good. Wind noise at speed is pleasingly low, which is all that matters. Like when with the roof up, the car behaves in a smooth, refined manner. The added bonus being that it – and you – look pretty darn stylish.
For all the stylish overtones, can Peugeot’s 308 CC walk the walk? Fortunately it can, which should please fans of the marque.
Don’t expect a honed, sports car-like experience, though. The 308, like many rivals, isn’t tuned to deliver performance thrills. Think of it more like an affordable drop-top GT and you’ll be closer to its core character.
Save for the poorest condition roads, the 308 CC copes admirably with rough surfaces. The sophisticated and supple ride is most noticeable when travelling at speed; the car never feels anything but stable on the motorway and, despite its GT-esque character, isn’t adverse to being driven in a spirited fashion on your favourite B-road.
It helps to have a few good engines to choose from, and Peugeot’s mix of petrol and diesel units should keep most people happy. Most should be familiar to anyone on nodding terms with the 308 hatch. The 308 CC is a substantial car, so you’ll be wanting one of the more powerful offerings if you want to make life easy.
If diesel isn’t your thing, the 143bhp turbo 1.6-litre petrol motor is especially nice. Smooth, quiet and responsive, it’s everything an engine for a convertible should be. Add an automatic gearbox and you’re all set for a leisurely weekend drive.
The diesel choices might save a few extra pennies at the pump, but cars like the 308 CC are always purchases driven by the heart not the head.
Factor in a generous amount of standard kit plus a wealth of tempting optional extras – neck-level heating elements, for example – and it’s hard not to like the 308 CC.
Along with the smaller 207 CC, this drop-top 308 proves that Peugeot still knows what it takes to produce an attractive, practical and affordable convertible for the masses.
PRICE: from £22,295 on the road.
ENGINE: A 1.6-litre petrol unit developing 143bhp via a four-speed auto transmission as standard, driving the front wheels.
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 127mph, 0-62mph 12.4 seconds.
COSTS: 34.8mpg.
EMISSIONS: 192g/km.
WARRANTY: Three years, 60,000 miles.
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