PEUGEOT 307 CC 2003 test drive - 2005 convertible

A drug

Vitamin C helps the body fight stress and stress. And what will happen if you double the dose? We now know-the PEUGEOT 307 CC Cabilet.
Car journalists are grated people, if not cynical. They do not experience emotional overloads, but nothing human is alien to them. I did not want to part with Peugeot 307 CC. For two days of intensive test trips to the south of France, we really loved this comfortable and very friendly car. And the highest praise can be considered the phrase defense by someone on the way back to Moscow: what, I would not refuse this ...
AQUARIUM. Outside the editorial window there is a gray low sky, and you can see how either heavy rain or fine snow pour. What is a convertible in such weather, in a country, where is half a year winter? .. But Peugeot 307 CC will be just right. Because this is not a convertible, but a cave-alert-feel the difference. In case of bad weather above the head of the driver and passengers, not a flimsy tarpaulin dome unfolds, but a real metal roof with a full -fledged rear window. The whole process takes only 25 seconds and does not require unnecessary movements from the driver - just press the key located on the central tunnel. By the way, the cover operation can be performed even at speeds up to 10 km/h - for example, in traffic jam or when leaving the parking lot.

 
 
But even with cool weather, Peugeot 307 CC can be used in convertible mode. We were convinced of this from our own experience: the presentation of the Peugeot 307 CC took place in the mountainous regions of France-in the morning the temperature kept in the area of \u200b\u200b+5-7 degrees. But this did not prevent us from starting from a hotel with a raised roof: the main thing is to raise all the side windows and put 25-28 degrees of heat on the air conditioner display. A beautiful microclimate is created in the cabin: on the one hand, warm, on the other, a fresh breeze blows pleasantly. But it is impossible to ride on the highway with fully lowered glasses - the wind begins to brazenly walking along the cabin already at a speed of 80 km/h and does not even help a special screen, which is installed above the rear seats to extinguish turbulent flows. In the convertible, you can and should go either slowly or under a very hot sun.
  APPEARANCES ARE DECEPTIVE. Despite the pronounced sports appearance, the Peugeot 307 CC does not provoke its owner to the aggressive style of driving. It is not for athletes, but rather for those who seek to look like that. That is, moderate fitness, healthy nutrition with a high content of vitamins and trace elements. This image is played by two -tone leather seats with lateral support, an abundance of chrome parts in the decoration of the cabin, white scales of instruments with chrome rims and even tuned exhaust. That is, the appearance, not the internal content.
 
Under the hood of Peugeot 307 CC, on which we drove, is a 2-liter engine with a capacity of 136 hp. It is quite enough to trample on the road, but no more. The edification of such an engine is quite enough to behave quite brazenly at medium speeds-60 --100 km/h. In this mode, it is enough to transfer the selector of the mechanical checkpoint one gear below to achieve quite tangible acceleration. At speeds above - there are fewer emotions: although the car confidently slows down the engine, but does not want to accelerate sharply under any circumstances. And attempts to switch not one, but by two gears down lead to the fact that the motor is choking.
The Peugeot 307 CC with the same 2-liter unit behaves a little more agile, but 177 hp. (The increase is achieved thanks to the variable phases of gas distribution), which was also submitted to the court to journalists. The car is much more sharply breaking off and allows you to make more risky overtaking at speeds above 100 km/h. But in general, the sensations from both cars are similar, and the presence of extra forty horses is not particularly felt. It even seemed to us that in competitions like Street Race a more experienced driver on a weaker Peugeot will easily make a beginner on a 177-horsepower version.
DO NOT BE SCARED! In the process of the test, I was so carried away by comparing the capabilities of two engines that I did not notice how my colleague stopped poked a finger in numerous keys on the dashboard and began to fidget in the seat. It turned out that he was no longer worried about the principle of operation of the navigation system, but the level of security. The fact is that in most convertibles, in the event of overturning, a safety frame rises from behind, which is hidden in a niche behind the rear seats. So, my colleague visually did not find this frame and frankly nervous. I had to recall that in the Peugeot 307 CC they solved the problem in a more original way. One large frame was replaced by two small ones, which were disguised in the head restraints of the rear seats. In the event of an accident, the head restraints fired up, and the car, as it were, freezes at three points. Two of them are head restraints, the third is the frame of the windshield, inside which a powerful safety frame is placed. On the one hand, this is good, on the other, it is bad. The front racks turned out to be too massive and make it difficult to review on steep turns.
Thank God we did not have to test this security system - the ESP exchange rate stability system did not allow, which consists of several independent electronic programs. Firstly, this is an anti-circus system, and secondly, the system of distribution of brake force and the most important is the electronic system for control of traction when passing turns. The latter is a little strangled by the engine if the driver begins to enter a steep turn at too high speed without discharge of gas. It should be noted that this system is not a panacea from the glaring illiteracy of the driver and at some point simply grazes before the laws of physics. In this case, she has to
Flight map. But I do not want to fly along doubtful trajectories on the Peugeot 307 CC - this is not the aura of this car. He somehow reminded me of Harley-Davidson motorcycle. It is related that both devices are intended, including for self -love. The highest bliss is achieved when you go slowly and sedately along the street, and everything inside you shouts to others: see what I have! And people really begin to envy the elegance of external forms, which is striking, and the quality of the interior decoration, which can also be exposed by removing the roof. I would even say that the places for the rear passengers of 307 SS are superfluous. This car was created for egoists who do not like to travel to a large company.
 
 
Although the rear sofa in Peugeot can be called full -sized - two adults will accommodate there without much difficulty, especially with an open top. To access the gallery, it is enough to pull the handle on the back of the front seat - it moves forward, and a passage opens, which even a very large passenger will use it easily. But with a lowered roof, it is quite difficult to get inside - even sitting in the front seat, you can quite painfully apply to a metal triber. Therefore, in Peugeot 307 CC, everything suggests that this is primarily a convertible and only in the second - a compartment.
 
 
The power of emotions. Peugeot 307 CC is a rather unique phenomenon in the modern automobile world. In the golf class, he still has only one competitor-Renault Megane II, about which the autopilot wrote in the last issue. The situation, of course, will change, since in Europe the demand for convertibles with a metal roof is growing rapidly and other manufacturers will be forced to fill this niche. But they will not be easy - Peugeot 307 CC installed the quality bar quite high. The car can boast of rain sensors and automatic inclusion of neighboring light, heating mirrors and glasses, a powerful climatic installation and excellent music with a CD changer. For the convenience of the driver, additional steering wheel switches are provided: one for controlling the audio system, the other for cruise control. As additional equipment, the LCD display can be installed, on which not only satellite navigation readings, but also the data of the on-board computer are displayed. On a more powerful version, even parking sensors are included in standard equipment. Naturally, the price of such a car will seem a little high for golf class, but today the price is dictated by the one who is a monopolist in this area. So emotions will have to be restrained.
Text Nikolay Kachurin, photo of the author ‹
 
PEUGEOT 307 CC

Working volume (cubic meter) 1997
Power (rpm) 136 hp at 6500
Moment of nm at rpm 190 at 4100
Front drive
Gearbox 5-speed mechanical
Length/width/height (mm) 4347/1759/1424
Wheel base (mm) 2605
Mass weight/full (kg) 1457/1830
Maximum speed (km/h) 207
Acceleration to 100 km/h (c) 10.9
Fuel consumption (city/highway, l/100 km) 11.5/6.2
The price in Moscow has not yet been determined

 

Source: "Autopilot"