Lifestyle focus: Peugeot 308 CC

Many of us in the tropics and especially the equatorial hot-and-humid climate will shrug off the usability and practicality of a cabriolet - even with the advent of hardtop coupe-cabriolet in the last decade or so.

Admittedly, I was like that until I sampled a VW Eos over a weekend to the beach town of Port Dickson some three years ago. I had actually "owned" a Porsche Boxster for about a year and it was less convincing with its relatively fiddly and noisier soft-top.

Sadly, with excessive procrastination the VW Eos outing write-up didn't materialise on this blog. Which would have happened to the 308 CC launch story if some good friend of mine didn't whip my butt over this. I also tested the 207 CC sometime ago and you can read all about it here.
I am somewhat a fan of coupe-cabriolet but i am of the opinion that this will have top be your 3rd car or higher in vehicle ownership serials which is actually much an extravagance. In short, a pure lifestyle accessory in the automotive department.

With this in mind, Nasim started off their 2011 new models unveiling with the official launch of the Peugeot 308 CC, the first of four new models due for the Malaysian market this year.

A coupe-cabriolet in 2+2 guise, this topless Pug in THP 156 form, translates to a maximum output of 156 hp + 240 Nm, courtesy of BMW-Peugeot's Prince 1.6-litre complete with twin-scroll turbo and direct injection. The 308 CC comes with a standard six-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic. Peugeot claims a 212 km/h top speed and a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 9.8 secs.

As with most Naza/Nasim automotive launches – the 308 CC is tagged at a rather attractive price i.e. RM186,888, on-the-road with insurance.

Some of the yummy goodies packaged together are the dynamic directional xenon headlamps with automatic height adjustment and washers, LED rear lights, 18-inch alloy wheels and a twin rear diffuser as part of the exterior parcel.

The interior of this gorgeous drop-top features dual zone air-conditioning, electric front seats (with memory settings for the driver's), cruise control, instrument dials with white backgrounds and a retractable high resolution 7-inch 16:9 LCD screen.

Safety kits which are standard include ESP, ABS, EBD, EBA, DSC and Anti-Skid Regulation (ASR) among others. Meanwhile, passive safety kit in the 5-Star Euro NCAP-rated vehicle includes a rear roll-over protection system – comprised of active extendable aluminum roll-over protection bars that pop up within 20-miliseconds in the event of a roll-over accident. Apart from these, there are six airbags, which include the world’s first side head airbags, housed in the seat and deployed laterally from the head restraint.

For in-car entertainment, there’s a CD player/MP3 head unit with Bluetooth connectivity, JBL Hi-Fi audio system with 10 speakers and a 240 watt amplifier. As for the two-piece electrically retractable hard-top roof, this one folds up and down within 20 seconds. For the occasional or avid golfer looking forward to driving to a Golf & Country Club, boot space volume is 465 litres with the top up, and 266 litres with the roof retracted and stowed away in boot.

Tried & Tested: Renault Megane CC

The French automotive brand Renault has undergone a sort of a revival in Malaysia recently, with local franchise holder, TC Eurocars introducing what they coined as the Fabulous Five. One of them is the lifestyle coupe-cabriolet known as the Megane CC. The others in this new stable are the Clio 1.6, Clio RS, Megane F1 R26 and the Grand Espace.

Though late forthcoming to the Malaysian market, the Megane CC is one neat looking coupe with sleek sidelines and an amazingly sharp looking rump, even in comparison to the other benchmark setting coupe-sunroof-cabriolet (2.0L segment & below RM250k) the VW Eos. Though the frontal visage is debatable against its Germanic counterpart, it is no less menacing when hunkering down the motorway on the fast lane, not necessitating any right turn signal or headlamp flash (which can be less desirable) to make known of its intention to pass. Perhaps this has got to do with the R26-esque persona when viewed from the rear view mirror of the car up front. Not a bad thing really.

The foldable metal-and-glass hard top even comes down in what seemed like a few seconds quicker than the Eos, in true “Transformers” fashion which requires origami-folding of what appeared to be like significantly lesser folding parts. With the glass roof up, the curvy C-pillar even reminisces that of a proper fixed hardtop coupe like the Audi TT. Nice and sporty.

Much has been lamented about its rather lethargic, normally aspirated 4-pot of 2.0L capacity but get acquainted (I did!) with the engine’s mid-range delivery and work manually through its - rather paltry - 4 gear ratios, it isn’t that bad in isolation. Understand the weight penalty of the Megane CC’s body plus its armaments of braces and reinforcements, you’ll soon accept and appreciate that nice and easy, relaxing drive. Ride quality is commendable while wind noise and road noise levels are rather exemplary for something with a frameless window, B-pillar less architecture et al.

Interior cabin ambience is classy and cozy, with the red leather upholstery taking centre stage, even though the dashboard is beginning to show its age. Typical Frenchie are the supportive and hugging seats, perfect for those longer interstate jaunts. The rear bench though, along with dismal rear legroom is strictly meant for children under eight or so. Renault’s keyless entry and start, executed by means of an electronic card is just a fancy piece of gadget which complicates a simple turn-key start into a more annoying two-steps execution of single-minded function of cranking up the engine. Nothing but a case of form over function, I reckoned.

As with most coupe-cabriolet, scuttle shakes are part & parcel of a trade-off when the chassis engineers lop off the roof. In the Megane CC, it is still pretty solid puttering leisurely but when you start throwing it topless into fast corners it starts to get a little hairy with that ‘loose’ feeling of the front flinging about a tad more than desired. However once you set the top back in position, the completed ‘egg-shell’ structure makes handling around bends noticeably more planted and reassuring.

A lot of people would not understand the joys of being in a coupe-cabriolet, more so in our blazingly sunny, hot and humid climate. These people are far from guilty of misjudging and stereotyping such a niche example of an automobile, since it’s pretty dusty and polluted in most urban and suburban areas too. However, should you want to enjoy the crisp cool air of the highlands or the salinity of the sea-breeze on a fine clear day (preferably slightly cloudy?) with sun-setting in the backdrop, there’s nothing better than being in a roadster, a Targa, cabriolet or best, in a coupe-cabriolet! With TC Eurocars dropping the price a smidgen below RM200k now (from RM236k previously), that wind-in-your-hair driving experience can now be yours being a little fluffier on your hair, as well as a little lighter on your pocket.

Peugeot 207cc gets lovey-dovey for Valentine's

Nasim is having a promotion for its cutesy lifestyle coupe-cabriolet, the 207cc, from 11^th -14^th February 2009. Every confirmed booking with a RM1000 deposit will entitle a pair of lovebirds to dine at the Bubba Gump Shrimp & Co Restaurant at The Curve, Mutiara Damansara. These lucky couples will also get premium chocolates and a bouquet of roses each, provided they sign up for a 207CC at Peugeot’s roadshow display at the Bangsar Shopping Centre, Kuala Lumpur before 12 noon on 14^th February 2009.

The Peugeot 207CC comes with the EP6 1.6L engine, equipped with Variable Valve Timing (VVT) and develops 120hp. Priced at RM158,888 (OTR), it is one of the most affordable brand-new coupe cabriolets available in Malaysia currently. Coupe cabriolets are actually convertibles which do not use canvas for top cover but employ a folding metal roof instead. In addition, the 207CC is also one of the safest cars in its class, with a full 5-star EuroNCAP crash test rating.

For more info, call Peugeot Careline at 1-800-88-6292 or log on to www.peugeot.com.my for further details.

Topless Driving: Peugeot 207cc

Click on all images to enlarge
Cabriolets and roadsters were pretty much like Caviars to me. Yes, they are an acquired taste and a premium one at that. Unnecessarily pricey, in a smaller package (read: less value-for-money) and representing a lifestyle statement to the elite-strata of the society (locally at least). This breed of automobiles is also mostly unpractical in our tropical, equatorial heat and hardly blends well with our sticky, humid climate.

My perception of things (not of the rising crime rates in Malaysia though) has changed when I took home the VW Eos a few months ago. Strangely, I enjoyed drop-top motoring very much since then but I have ransacked my clinic's stock of sunblock more than a couple of times! Just for the record, anything with SPF 30+ or 35+ will do, no need to splurge extra cash on the heavy duty stuffs, unless you are into surfing off the coast of Port Dickson, Langkawi or Bagan Lalang for that matter.


Which brings us to this petite topless feline called the 207cc. I have always fancied the slanty eyed Pugs ever since the 206, 307, 407 et al. This trademark design gets carried over here with even sharper accentuation, paired with an even more gaping mouth diplaying a wide (friendly? or is it feisty?) grin. It's a happy Peugeot alright. The driver is mostly happy too with the tight feel of the car on the road. The 207cc simply felt very solidly bolted together, even with the top down. Decent road manners, great ride pliancy despite a short wheelbase, comfy seats and minimal rolling noise from those grippy premium Conti rubbers. However, the 207cc' Archilles heel has to be its drivetrain. Dont' get me wrong, it's responsive and ever trying to please. But with only 4 'auto' gears, mostly shifted into cog '2' manually, I was yearning for more grunt. Its lovely chassis - which was superbly Conti-esque stable at its triple digits Vmax - simply deserved more horses and torque. The turbocharged lump from the 308GT THP175 (and new New Mini Cooper S) would do nicely here, I reckoned.



Now comes the dicey part: overtaking in a 207cc. It's a daunting task really, waiting for ages for pace to built up and securely pass the car up front. With oncoming traffic on the opposite looking more menacing more often than it should, I guess this is indeed as a local Peugeot (and a close friend) guy puts it: " A lovely boulevardier of a coupe-cabriolet". MidValley Boulevard anyone? Bintang Walk? Heritage Row? Bangsar, Hartamas, Mont Kiara? Now I get it. Serious.