Peugeot has re-invented its folding hard roof supermini, the car that brought Mercedes-style roof technology to a wider audience. The 207 Coupe Convertible goes on UK sale next March, priced from just under £15,000.
This CC is based on the 207's stiffer, front-wheel drive chassis, and the big news is that it has an all-new roof mechanism. Two petrol engines and one diesel will be offered at launch. It's a little bigger, although it remains a 2+2 with rear seats only good for torturing naughty children.
Dropping the top
While the original roof was made by French supplier, Peugeot has taken 207CC production into its own Madrid plant. Although the original was wildly successful, with 360,000 sales making it the world's best-selling (and longest on the market) small coupe cabriolet, the roof mechanism was marred initially by glitches.
The current car's twist release handle is gone; all you need to do is hold down a button and the windows drop and the roof folds away. The process takes around 25sec.
In the nose
Three engines will be offered at launch. The new 1.6-litre petrol engine, co-developed by BMW and Peugeot for the new Mini and 207, is offered with two outputs. The entry-level unit kicks out 120bhp and 118lb ft, while the addition of a turbo hikes outputs to 150bhp and 177lb ft. Diesel power comes from the familar 110bhp 1.6-litre common rail unit. All engines are mated to a five-speed manual 'box, although a four-speed auto can be specified with the 120bhp unit.
The 120bhp CC cracks 0-62mph in 10.7sec, although this is reduced to 8.6sec by the turbo engine. The diesel takes 10.9sec, but the compensation is a claimed 54.3mpg – compared with 43.4 or 39.2 for the two petrols.
The inside story
The dash is familiar from the 207 hatch, although it can be trimmed in optional leather more befitting a supercar than a supermini. The seats are mounted lower than in the hatch, and Peugeot claims they fold easily to get access to the rear seats.
The boot is pretty accommodating for a small car, stowing 187 litres roof down and 449 in coupe mode.
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