- Doors and Seats
2 doors, 4 seats
- Engine
2.0i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
103kW, 200Nm
- Fuel
Petrol 8.1L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Manual
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
4/5 star (2001)
Topless for summer
Peugeot 307CC
The folding metal roof, introduced by Mercedes-Benz on its 1997 SLK roadster is an amazing piece of engineering to see in action.
Just getting the timing right must be extremely difficult, let alone the alignment.
During development, several scenes of destruction and mayhem must surely have occurred.
Push the button, Gerhard, and give it a burl. Gerhard pushes button. Struts, hydraulic lines and panels buckle, break and rupture. Bits fly over the workshop. Hmm, better make a few adjustments, Gerhard.
The folding metal roof has several advantages over a soft top. It doesn't - well, shouldn't - leak, it generates less wind noise and is more secure. It also looks prettier.
On the downside, if it does go haywire on the way up or back into the boot, the consequences will probably be - at best - inconvenient.
Peugeot introduced a folding metal roof on its baby 206CC in 2001 and, initially, the French were not good at them. The 206CC had more than its fair share of problems according to customers. Peugeot reckons it has fixed it with the new 307CC which replaces the long-lived and popular 306 softop.
Two models are available. The base car, priced at $49,990, uses the same 100kW 2.0-litre four cylinder engine (with a five-speed manual) found in several other Peugeots.
The 307CC Sport gets the 130kW version, with variable intake valve timing and other tweaks, recently installed in the 206 GTi 180. It costs $56,990.
A four-speed sequential auto is an extra $2200 in the base model; the Sport is manual (with lower gearing) only.
Peugeot doesn't do ugly cars. The 307CC is gorgeous to look at, roof up or down.
Which, of course, is of prime importance in this most hedonistic of classes.
The base car's 2.0-litre engine is sedate, rather than sporty.
The extra reinforcing metal in the convertible's body structure hoists its weight to nearly 1500kg - a substantial burden for 100kW (and a relatively humble 190Nm of torque) to shift.
However, the 100kW engine is exceptionally smooth and quiet.
Performance is just adequate for town work and highway cruising but off the line acceleration and responsiveness at lower revs in the higher gears are noticeably blunted by sheer mass.
The zero-100kmh trip takes 11.4 seconds - so the base 307CC looks much quicker than it is.
You can at least use the light, slightly rubbery gearbox to keep the engine working at its best across the upper midrange, where it is fairly punchy; the automatic, though, would really struggle.
The test car's engine also had a bit of stutter and surge on a light or trailing accelerator.
The 130kW powerplant in the Sport is worth the extra cash. It's a sweet, strong, sporty engine, which more effectively complements the 307CC's handling ability.
Of which there is plenty. While the high kilo count works against performance, it pays off in the 307CC's tight, solid body (by convertible standards) and a secure, planted stance on the road.
The suspension, carried over from the 307 hatch, is lowered and tuned to compensate for the convertible's additional weight.
The electro-hydraulic power steering is also recalibrated; the brakes are supplemented by ABS, stability control and emergency full power assistance.
Peugeot made its reputation with first class suspension. It has tripped a few times in recent years - the sloppy 607 limo being an obvious example - but the 307CC sees it back in form.
At speed, the convertible is taut, athletic and composed, with none of that hinged in the middle feeling or blancmange-like behaviour often present in open tops.
Disciplined roadholding is supplemented by serious grip from the optional 205/50 17 Pirelli P Zeros. These are standard on the Sport; the base model gets 205/55 tyres on 16-inch alloys.
While choppy bitumen can induce a mild tremor through the car, the suspension effectively absorbs most impacts before they reach the body. It also delivers a compliant, comfortable ride with the lower profile tyres.
Steering is typically Peugeot: accurate, tactile and with spot-on weighting. Some kick-back is evident under power on tight, rough corners.
The brakes are fine in power and progression.
The tin roof is raised or lowered, in about 25 seconds, at the push of a button. Twelve automatic switches control the operational sequence. If one fails, the owners handbook outlines an emergency manual procedure.
Roof up, the 307CC's wind noise levels are comparable with a fixed-roof coupe. In open air mode, with the side windows raised, it is remarkably calm and quiet in the cabin at 100kmh.
The exaggerated rake and depth of the windscreen puts the header rail almost directly above you, so the airstream is effectively directed to the rear of the car rather than tumbling into the front seats.
Standard equipment includes automatic air-conditioning, an in-dash CD player, power windows and mirrors, front and side airbags, automatic headlights on, rain sensing wipers and cruise control. The Sport adds parking assistance, a six-stack CD and leather/cloth/alcantara upholstery.
The driver faces a compact, elegant dash, with white-faced dials surrounded by chrome bezels. Classy touches include metal pedals, kick plates and gear lever knob; the fake metal is passably convincing.
Peugeot's fit and finish standards can be patchy. No problems here. The test car lasted a week without developing a squeak, chirp or rattle. Most convertibles start loosening up and making noises within a day.
Air and audio controls are easy to reach and operate; the latter are duplicated on a wand on the right side of the steering column.
A 50kmh numbered graduation is provided on the speedo but you have to guess where 60, 80 and 100kmh are. The trip computer/audio display screen cannot be read if you're wearing polarising sunglasses.
Oddment storage is minimal. The headlights are reasonably bright and vision around the car with the roof up is better than most soft tops, thanks to the large rear window. You can't see the bonnet, though.
The driver's seat is positioned 40mm lower than in the 307 hatch. Long travel, a ratchet type height adjuster and a reach/height adjustable steering wheel make it easy to tailor the driving position to suit any physique.
The seat is deeply contoured, with a long cushion and substantial bolstering. It holds you snugly and is comfortable on a long drive, though lumbar support is slightly lacking.
The 307CC is a four seater. Yes, but only if the front occupants are relatively short or the back occupants are kids.
The rear seat itself is hardly luxurious, though access is no problem. Taller occupants will make contact with the rear window.
The stability control sensors detect if the 307 is about to go rubber side up, at which point a pair of roll bars (concealed with the rear seat head restraints) is activated by the same pyrotechnics that control the seat belt pretensioners.
Boot space is quite generous with the roof up. However, when the roof is stowed it takes up nearly half of the volume. You still get the long floor, but bulky objects cannot be carried.
The boot can be opened using the remote, or pushing the centre of the 0 on the 307 badge. Cute. A net is provided; a spacesaver spare is underneath.
Although the 307CC is at the cheaper end of the convertible field, it drives in more expensive company. It is stunning to look at, tight and solid and handles with greater discipline and finesse than some big dollar rivals.
The 100kW engine is adequate for day-to-day work but the 307's fine dynamics deserve better; go the extra $7000 for the 130kW Sport and your drives under the sun will be much more fun.