Road test: Peugeot 307 CC

By Feann Torr & Peter Maniatis

Peugeot is forging ahead with its second coupe cabriolet model, the 307 CC, in what is fast becoming a very desirable and burgeoning sub-niche market.

There used to be a time when a tin top convertible, otherwise known as a coupe cabriolet, was something of a playtoy for the rich and famous.

While Mazda's award-winning MX-5 brought open-top motoring to the masses in the early 1990s, convertibles with metal folding roofs - as opposed to cloth items - were still fantasy for many drivers.

Companies likes Mercedes were touting the merits of a metal roof that would increase safety, improve weather protection and even lower insurance - but if you wanted one you had to pass the prerequisite 'wallet depth' test.

In the last few years, the number of marques releasing convertibles with metal roofs has increased dramatically from what was just a few luxo cruisers, to a wide-range of makes and models, including bargain-basement deals like the 1.6-litre Peugeot 206 CC and $30,000 Daihatsu Copen.

More and more car makers have signalled their intent to build CC models, and companies like Volkswagen and Opel will weigh into the budget end of the market in the next few years.

What used to be hard-to-live with, leaky, rattly soft tops are slowly being replaced by these newer and safer convertibles. As such, we put a sleek French coupe cabriolet to the test to find out if this shift to metal folding roofs is all its cracked up to be.

Drive

Peugeot 307 CC

The first time you sit in the 307 CC, you know you're in a special car. Prod the throttle, navigate a few roundabouts and you'll delight in the nicely balanced steering and the willing power train.

Inside, the CC is no pretender either. Luxury abounds as you smell the soft white leather for the first time and cast your eyes across the sporty dash and well equipped interior.

After first stepping into the vehicle, the metal roof does an impressive job of making you feel that you're in a standard coupe, but we were swift to remind ourselves that this is a convertible - quick, look for the dials to get the roof off.

With a simple press of a button the Peugeot delivers a performance that leaves you absolutely gobsmacked. Though it doesn't fold quite as quickly as Superman on laundry day, the ingenuity that has gone into the roof mechanism is exciting, elegant and very succinct.

Within about 20 seconds, the hard top coupe is transformed into a sporty lifestyle convertible that turns heads around every corner - and everything is electronically controlled.

You just sit back and watch the drivers around you turn green with envy, and the transformation can even be completed at speeds of up to 10km/h.

Seating arrangements are good, if somewhat tight in the back, and the seat cushions wonderfully plush, making time spent in the cabin very relaxing indeed. The steering wheel weight is nicely balanced (thanks to an electro-hydraulic setup) and conveys a good amount of info from the front wheels to your hands and the massive windscreen ensures good visibility.

It's almost as though the French have taken a $120K concept and delivered an affordable, sexy, stylish and functional coupe cabriolet for the masses to enjoy.

Peugeot's 307 CC in sporty coupe mode

Sure, close to $60,000 isn't piecemeal, but the Peugeot 307 CC is a definite winner in all aspects it was designed for, and can make anyone look good on the road while enjoying an alternative, yet relatively affordable driving experience.

It's a fun car to drive, regardless of what the roof is doing, thanks to what is a very responsive powertrain. The five-speed manual gearbox is a joy to operate: it's tight, with just the right amount of resistance between the gates and, when coupled to the 130kW engine, it manages to move its 1490kg [kerb] weight very rapidly.

There's plenty of get up and go with 4 adults as well. This is not a V8 Supercar, but its definitely a refined smaller version, delivering usable power from 1st to 5th gear.

Peugeot quotes a 0-100km/h sprint of 10.0 seconds, and that felt close to mark, if not a little conservative.

The engine is a real winner, revving smoothly from idle to redline, and the 30kW gain over the 100kW $49,990 version comes about mainly thanks to variable valve timing and pushes top speed to 225km/h.

Peugeot have a good reputation for properly sorting suspension, and the 307 CC is no exception, where reversed MacPherson suspension up front combines with electro-hydraulic variable power steering to great effect. Throw the convertible into a corner and you'll be surprised at how well it can handle the build-up of lateral G-forces.

Even when navigating nasty off-camber corners, the 307 CC displayed impressive road holding and remained fairly flat thanks to anti-roll bars fore and aft. Five-spoke 17-inch wheels shod with 205/50 R17 rubber ensure grip is seldom wanting, while at the same time adding to the 307's visual appeal.

In town, the 307 CC didn't disappoint, handling stop-go traffic with ease, and providing a supple ride over rough bitumen. Even with the roof up rearward vision is pretty good, and rear parking sensors made parking a breeze.

The 130kW 2.0-litre engine is very responsive

We expected to hear a few rattles and creaks from the electrically operated roof when closed over, but were surprised (and pleased) to find that the workmanship on most aspects of the car, from the mechanical to the cosmetic, was above par.

Engine

We first tested Peugeot's rev-happy 2.0-litre, 16-valve, 100kW engine in the 206 GTi in 2003, to which the response was quite positive. The 307 CC on test was the 'Sport' version, equipped with a more powerful version of this 4-cylinder engine.

The biggest difference between the 100kW mill and the more powerful 130kW powerplant is the inclusion of variable valve timing.

The VVT allows the engine to rev higher for its increased peak power, while keeping low speed performance smooth and shudder free.

While peak power rises by 30kW, torque is only boosted by 12 Newton metres, from 190Nm to 202Nm, but this is more than enough shove to ensure the 307 CC delivers a satisfyingly sporty experience.

Vital statistics are as follows: The all-alloy 1997cc L4 motor has belt-driven dual overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, an 11:1 compression ratio and a 60-litre fuel tank. Peak power is 130kW generated @ 7000rpm, and 202Nm of torque joins the party @ 4750rpm.

Peugeot builds a pretty good engine these days, and this 130kW 2.0-litre four banger is quite a lively little engine. It doesn't mind being pushed and it always maintained a level of refinement and smoothness that made driving the car very enjoyable.

Exterior

While it's still a 307, the CC's styling is more dynamic than the hatch version

Whenever a soft-top convertible cruises past with the top down, people often turn to look, but for our money all but a handful of soft-tops lose a huge amount of visual impact with the roof up - they just look a bit flimsy really.

Not so with the 307 CC. Thanks to the metal folding roof, the French-built two door coupe looks great with both the top up and down, and is a marketed improvement over the eternally peculiar 206 CC with the roof up.

And it's a head tuner - no doubt about that. The front end is very 307, but look at the car from the side and you'll see that this is a longer, more stylish vehicle than the standard car, whose profile is almost reminiscent of a Mercedes coupe.

The Pug has lots road presence too. Its styling is fresh, proportional and purposeful and other drivers seemed more aware of it on the road than with most cars we've tested.

Walk around to the back of the car and you'll see things like stylish brake light design, and though the rear end does have its peculiarities, it is generally well designed, taking the 307 theme to another level.

Interior

This is the area where most convertibles get the biggest bollocking, but after spending a week with the 307 CC, we were pretty pleased with its functionality.

Sure, the boot will only hold a medium-sized suitcase with the roof off, but in coupe mode with the roof on, you can squeeze another couple of suitcases in there, or a festive amount of groceries.

The driver's and front passenger's seats were remarkably comfortable and sportingly hugging - the ivory-coloured leather seats (optional) in the model we drove complemented the luxury feel of the car. Rear seats are adequate compared to your average sedan, but do well when to compared to other 2+2 convertibles.

The 2+2 coupe cabriolet has a feature- packed and well finished interior

These rear seats will accommodate two adults without too much trouble, which is great when four friends are going out to dinner and wanting to get there with one car - in style.

There is enough headroom for all four occupants, but extended trips will tiring for rear passengers.

All the mod cons of a progressive luxury sportscar can be found in the 307 CC. Controls are at your fingertips and all the switchgear works well, and things such as an innovative dash-mounted 6 stack CD player (you feed each CD into a separate slot) and intuitive control stalks on the steering column add interest and make driving a joy.

White, chrome-rimmed dials inform you of your engine and road speed, while pushing buttons on the transmission tunnel operates the folding metal roof, and on the whole the interior is well finished with quality materials used.

The heater is an important part of any drop top -- you need a powerful one as people like us, who want to drive with the top down in the middle of winter, need to be kept warm. Thankfully the people at Peugeot were kind enough to include a very effective heater, which came about thanks to it's European origins.

Safety wise, and the 307 CC gets driver, passenger and front side airbags, pretensioning front seatbelts, active front seat head restraints, self-deploying rear rollover bars and an Electronic Stability Program (ESP).

Overall: 4.5/5

To say that we were impressed with the 307 CC would an understatement, as the French car goes about its business with supreme style and precision.

Beyond being a nice car to drive, with impressive acceleration, handling and ride, it looks great and turns all the right heads - top up or down. Fit and finish is good: the car has a very tight feel about it, outside and in, and everything worked first time.

The gearbox and engine work well together to deliver a punchy kick in the rear as you give the 307 CC some stick, and features such as ABS, EBD, EBA, electro-hydraulic variable power steering and one-touch electric windows make driving it a very satisfying and efficient experience.

From where we stand, this car is a winner in almost every respect. It's a coupe, then at the press of a button it transforms into a convertible, and the metal roof quashes many of the criticisms often levelled at a soft-top convertibles.

Is the metal roof worth the extra dosh over a soft-top? For our money, without a doubt.

After driving around in the 307 CC for a week, it's safe to say that the shift in interest from soft to hard-top convertibles that's attracting more and more people to these intriguingly versatile vehicle's is definitely all it's cracked up to be, and Peugeot's already off to a flying start.