New topless Peugeot with guy appeal

Not that Peugeot minded that their cute convertibles seemed to be the preferred mode of transport for the gay and girly markets.

But obviously they would dearly like to sell more cars, particularly during these tough economic times when showrooms are wall to wall with new unsold cars gathering dust.

So, time for plan B. Peugeot tried it with the drop-top Peugeot 206 CC and it didn't really work for the men. Then they tried it with the 207 CC and the 307 CC models, but non monsieur, in spite of (or perhaps precisely because of) its fancy French flair South African men were still not wildly enthusiastic about these topless French charmers.

So after much croissant chewing, endless streams of coffee and much pencil-sharpening the Peugeot white coats finally saw The Light - make the car more masculine.

More wooma under the bonnet

Ah, qui-qui, they nodded enthusiastically and the result is the sleek new Peugeot 308 CC which has just arrived in South Africa - and this time round I think the guys are going to fall for its charm.

The new Coupe-Cabriolet (which is what CC stands for) has a nice sporty edge to it. The 308 is lower, broader and longer than its predecessor, nicely rounded off by a low-slung stanch, sleek, sloping bonnet, steeply raked windscreen, sporty 18-inch alloy wheels, deep-set fog lights, tapered, wrap-around headlights, racy black and silver grill, muscular haunches and a more wooma under the bonnet.

Inside, too, the drop top has a more sporty-man look and feel, with plush leather upholstery, lots of shiny silver rim, drilled metal foot pedals, stubby gear lever, a traction control button which can be switched off and high-backed sportscar seats.

There's room for three mates as well

The only thing I would change in the cabin is to make the steering wheel smaller. The large ox-wagon wheel somehow seems a tad incongruous in the new-look living quarters.

The 308 CC is a full-on four-seater with individual seats at the back that looks cool and feels comfortable.

Yes, like all coupes, space at the back is a tad cramped, particularly with the roof in position, but with the metal top folded away in the boot head space is no problem.

Smart equipment include a classy sound system, fully automatic bi-zone climate control, cruise control, a trip computer, satellite controls for the audio system, and remote central locking.

And then of course, the 308's showpiece - the fully automatic, metal retractable roof, which can be raised or lowered in just 20 seconds at the push of a button to transform the car from sleek coupé to elegant cabriolet - and vice versa.

Easy rider

And the ride quality is excellent. The body feels much more rigid and the steering is much sharper, although still not exactly razor-sharp.

The brakes are spot-on, thanks to the ABS-aided all-disc braking system and the gearbox is a vast improvement on the soup-stirring shift of the previous model.

The ride is a happy medium between performance and comfort and the new coupe-cabriolet copes well when the road gets twisty. And it's amazingly quiet, even with the top down.

But probably the biggest attraction of the 308 is its energetic 1.6-litre turbo-driven engine, which is a vast improvement on the lethargic 2.0-litre of the 307.

The smaller but more efficient engine kicks out a lively 110kW and 240 Nm which is good enough for a quick get-away and good cruising even at speeds in excess of our rather dozy national speed limit.

A boot made for packing

Power is transferred to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox and if you work swiftly through the gears the 308 will trot from zero to 100 km/h in just over 10 seconds and on to a top speed of 215 km/h.

In line with new technology the powerplant is also efficient enough to return a combined-cycle consumption figure of 7,5 litres/100 km and an impressively low CO2 emissions rating of only 177 g/km.

The new 308 also scores good marks in the comfort, safety and load-carrying departments.

With the roof in place the boot is huge, even bigger than that of the 308 hatchback.

Roll bars on demand

A feature which will be particularly popular on chilly Highveld days is the neck-warming system that blows warm air through slots at the top of all four seats, a la Mercedes-Benz.

The 308 is also the first in its class to have airbags integrated into the sides and headrest areas of the front seats and it has six airbags in all.

Another peace of minder is a system which deploys roll-over bars behind the rear seats when the car's clever electronics sense that the car is going to roll.

The 308CC is one of the classiest models in this section and certainly a nose ahead of the Volkswagen Eos, Renault Megane, Ford Focus and the Opel Astra.

And it definitely has tons more masculine appeal than all previous Peugeot wind-in-your-hair cars - a perfect all-weather fun-wagon with a nice touch of Gaelic haughtiness.

The price is a tad steep at R336 500 but that does include a three-year/100 000 km warranty, as well as a three-year/100 000 km full maintenance plan.