| Road Test Peugeot 207 CC GT THP |
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Gentle Delight
The new 207 CC is a cracking improvement on the 206 CC and has one of the smoothest 1.6-litre petrol engines on the market; a 16-valve unit developed with BMW who already use it to great effect in the latest MINI. It's a responsive and energetic power plant that suits the hottest 207CC I had on test - the 150bhp GT THP . A claimed top speed of 131mph and 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds make the £16,895 THP a lively drive. The 1.6 gets its power hike thanks to a twin-scroll turbocharger, high-pressure direct injection and variable inlet valve timing. It's a high-technology solution to performance with stunning mid-range pulling power of 180lb/ft at 1400rpm and surprising economy - I managed a satisfying overall 39mpg. Compared to the frumpish 206 CC the well-proportioned newcomer has a larger body, impressive specification, new-found refinement, a fully-automatic metal folding roof and a great-handling chassis based on the 207 supermini launched last year. It's streets ahead of the landmark 206 in every respect; refinement, comfort, practicality, dynamics and quality.
In fact there's only one serious flaw - driver visibility at junctions is terrible because the car's heavy A-pillars are carried forward at such a shallow angle. Other than that my only other quibble is the positioning of the interior door handles - they're so far forward that even my perfectly normal 28" arm length found it a hard stretch to open the door.
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