Pioneering the art of folding roofs since 1930s, Peugeot has never lost its desire to give drivers the liberté to drive in either the coupé or cabriolet configuration.
Photos: Joel Tam
Back in 2000, the 206CC was introduced by Peugeot with much acclaim. The continuation of Peugeot's widely loved folding metal roofs continued with the 207CC as well as the 307CC. And tradition carries on with the 308CC, a car that is set to deliver both style and panache, which is a major factor for buyers of such cars.
And from the looks of it, there is no denying that the 308CC is one work of art fleshed in metal. Based on the sub-structure of the 308 hatch with styling cues carried over from the 307CC, the 308CC features Peugeot’s corporate identity with its relatively wide grille, large headlights and heavily styled bonnet. Throw in a steeply raked windscreen into the equation, and you get a sleek looking car imbued with loads of Gallic flair, a justification of the 308CC's genre. The car's derriere however, depending on your personal taste in rears, is a tad too bulbous for my liking, which in my opinion, disrupts the smooth flowing lines that stem from the front. The saving grace however are the rear diffusers that add a much needed touch of sportiness. The hidden exhaust is another nice touch.
Being a cabriolet, one important and impressive highlight of the 308CC is its electric folding roof, which can be stowed into the boot in just 20 seconds, and at up to speeds of 12 kilometres per hour. Though not as attractive as the rest of the car, the large rear sure has some boot space going on. With the car in coupé mode, you get a cavernous boot with 465 litres of usable space, even as a cabriolet, there is still an adequate 266 litres.
Interior wise, at first glance, the build quality immediately stands out. The materials used are top notch, from the supportive and sporty looking seats to the aluminium trimmed gear knob, proving that Peugeot has indeed placed great emphasis on quality control with this car. There’s also a host of innovative safety features, such as head airbags integrated into the head restraint and pop up roll over bars which are hidden in the rear head restraint.
Build quality and design aside, how does the car fare in performance? Using the very same engine found in the 308 hatch back and SW, the 308CC’s 1.6-litre turbo charged engine paired with a responsive and smooth shifting slush box churns out 156 horses and 240 Nm worth of torque and performs ably, going from zero to 100 in 9.5 seconds, which is a reasonable time for its class. The car however should not be misconstrued as an all out performance car as it is more of a boulevard cruiser than a tarmac bruiser. In terms of handling, the 308CC feels like a relatively large sedan that needs to be eased around bends. The steering is a tad light weight but offers decent feedback which is perfect when driving at low speeds, but should you prod the accelerator hard, the drive becomes less confidence inspiring, which is why you should never thrown it round a corner. But on the daily get go, the 308CC does offers a pliant and comfortable ride, with its suspension taking the road irregularities well in its stride. Scuttle shake however is still existent, but that is just a typical trait found in convertibles.
In summary, though the unusually proportioned styling of the 308CC is a taste that needs to be acquired, the car is still distinctively styled, with Gallic flair oozing in abundance. Like a certain Eric Cantona, its a case of love it or loathe it, but you just can't deny the fact that it commands attention on the road. And with a plethora of gadgets and an interior build quality that is mint, the 308CC is a great car to drive in sunny Singapore. Time to hop in, drop the top and shout "Allez Peugeot!"
