Peugeot 207 CC Road Test

Peugeot 207 CC practicality and safety

Let’s be realistic: women do not tend to pack sparingly. Take more than two bags and the rear seats will become luggage storage, though they are virtually pointless for carrying passengers in any case.

With the roof lowered, one feature I especially admired was the chrome-finished, pop-up rollover protection bars - both a safety measure and a Peugeot first. Decapitation is plainly not a desirable style statement, and those bright chrome accents look smart too.

UK trims and engine range

In the UK, the 207 CC will be offered in two specifications: Sport and GT. For an extra £1,200, GT trim brings an aluminium grille, stability control, 43 cm wheels, directional headlamps and an MP3-compatible audio system.

Three engines will be available from launch: a 1.6-litre, 16-valve petrol unit with 120bhp; a 1.6-litre, 16-valve THP (Turbo High Pressure) petrol engine developing 150bhp; and a 1.6-litre, 16-valve HDi diesel producing 110bhp. Why anybody would spoil open-air driving by enduring a diesel’s drone is beyond me - it is like listening to your parents having sex: wrong!

The diesel may return 54.3mpg, compared with 43.5mpg and 39.2mpg from the two petrol engines respectively, but it requires servicing every 19,312 km. The petrol models, by contrast, need attention only every 32,187 km.

I did not drive the diesel. I had spent the entire night entertaining the Polish national football team, who were staying at the hotel Peugeot used for the launch, and my delicate condition could not cope with the sound.

Driving the Peugeot 207 CC THP

Instead, I sampled the flagship 207 CC with its turbocharged engine, a tuned version of which also appears in the Mini Cooper S. It can be specified with either a five-speed manual 'box or a four-speed automatic 'box featuring Tiptronic-style sequential control.

And on the road? It is actually rather good. The 1.6-litre THP motor feels eager, with ample pulling power whenever it is required.

Its 8.6-second 0–100 km/h sprint and 211 km/h maximum speed will not challenge any land-speed records, yet it delivers all the performance its buyers are likely to want. Sitting behind the 207 CC’s electrically assisted steering wheel is genuinely enjoyable: it is far sportier than the 206 CC, as well as being impressively nimble and manoeuvrable.

At 1,400kg, it is hardly lightweight, yet it stays surprisingly agile. Its road manners are good, and on the motorway with the roof raised it offers coupé-like refinement, free of wind noise and scuttle shake.

Overall, it is an appealing, handsome and capable package - the finest small CC available, and definitely my own breast in show.