Peugeot 207 … the sleek, chic tourer
HOW CAN YOU have fun with a car and be kind to the environment at the same time? Get yourself a classy Peugeot 207 5 Door Touring XT -that’s how. The Touring is available with a 1.6l naturally aspirated petrol engine or our favourite the 1.6l HDi Turbo Diesel.
This slick little European diesel is only available with a 5spd manual gear box (the petrol version only comes with a 4 speed auto) and the very lively engine has a Variable Geometry turbocharger providing that extra bit of power for swift acceleration. 80kw of power and 240Nm of torque gives you what you need to get around town or country with a full load.
Peugeot’s special diesel particle filter virtually eliminates all diesel particles from the exhaust. Great fuel economy – 4.7lt per 100kms combined city/freeway cycle – is the other bonus, with up to 1,000kms on a tank.
Peugeot have been producing diesels for many years and a pair of diesel powered Peugeot 908s took first and second places at the Le Mans 24 Hour Race in 2009. Australian driver David Brabham was one of the three driver team who took victory last year.
The 207 HDi is ideal for a range of applications and is equally at home driving in heavy city traffic as a small commuter or as a smooth quiet traveller out of town for the weekend. The split tailgate of the Touring allows you to simply open the glass without lifting the whole door – perfect for casually stowing small items in the back. Split rear seats and pull-down boot tray adapt in seconds to reveal a flat bed 1,433 litre storage area.
Peugeot is no slouch in the safety department either with 6 airbags, ABS brakes with the now usual electronic assistance combined with ESP – Electronic Stability Program.
The chic European styling includes a panoramic glass roof with an electric sunblind. The Touring is packed with most modern conveniences – the only things missing are parking sensors, satellite navigation and Bluetooth – all available as options.
With a 3 year/100,000km warranty the Touring starts around $30,500 for the petrol version and $31,500 for the diesel.
Auto Notes… What is ESP?
It stands for Electronic Stability Program. Initially developed by Mercedes-Benz to maintain stability on its S-Class, ESP is now on most cars. Some auto industry types don’t believe it works but numerous studies prove otherwise. ESP is undoubtedly of greater benefit to larger cars. Studies have shown that sport utility vehicles (SUVs) with ESP are involved in 67 percent fewer accidents than SUVs without the system. The system works by measuring many variables in real time and provides additional control and stability when cornering and braking suddenly.
Yvonne and David Williams www.wheeldestinations.com
Comments: www.hinterlandtimes.com.au (Click: columns)
August 9th, 2011 at 5:44 pm
Good stuff as per usual, thanks. I do hope this kind of thing gets more exposure.