These are the first official shots of the new 207 CC. And company bosses hope it will go straight to the top of the coupé-cabriolet class.
Key to the car's anticipated success will be the new folding metal roof. In addition to working more quickly and smoothly than the 206 CC's mechanism, it frees up more boot space.
The newcomer will be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show as the EPURE concept. With electric power coming from a hydrogen fuel cell, it's Peugeot's view of a clean, green, fun-to-drive drop-top.
Under the bonnet of the EPURE lies a 27bhp electric motor, which is powered by hydrogen fuel cells mounted in the boot. The hybrid drivetrain gives a range of 218 miles and an 81mph top speed - and its only emission is water.
However, power for the production version comes from conventional units. Two new 1.6-litre engines, developed in conjunction with BMW, will appear: a normally aspirated powerplant which produces 115bhp or 130bhp, or a turbocharged unit which delivers 150bhp - enough for the car to cover 0-60mph in around seven seconds. A 110bhp 1.6-litre turbodiesel engine will also be available. The first official appearance for the showroom-ready 207 CC will be at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Sales will kick off in the summer, with a starting price of around £14,500.
With the 207 epure concept car, Peugeot not only lifts the veil on its future coupe-cabriolet, but also shows an example of future fuel cell technology for a more distant future...
The experimental power train that equips the 207 Epure includes the latest advances of the PSA Peugeot-Citroën group in this area, without any adverse affect on the vehicle's functional and stylistic features.
The ensuing benefits - zero emissions, silent operation - does much to enhance the pleasure of driving the car as a cabriolet.
The whole car is done out in white - inside and out - to signify the ecological credentials of the technology that powers it.
Its special "Pitlane" alloy wheels strengthen the impression of a vehicle with superb road holding.
The tail has lost its "bakkie" look, and instead is neat and curvy, incorporating a spoiler in the boot lid as well as diode-effect lights.
Interior
The dashboard is covered entirely with white leather, as is most of the passenger compartment: the detailing, the trim on all four seats, and even the controls under the steering wheel.
The white dials of the instrument panel and the chrome trims strengthen the modern and technological feel of the interior.
Touches of "absinthe green", inspired by the vehicle's floor colour, are subtly interspersed throughout the passenger compartment, particularly in the form of discreet beads on the dash panel, the door panels, the rear of the front seats and the head restraints.
From a functional point of view the instrument panel incorporates all necessary information for monitoring the charge level of the battery and the quantity of on-board hydrogen, while the colour display in the centre console displays the flow of power between the electric motor, the battery and the fuel cell.
The 207 Epure, like previous Peugeot demonstrators, uses a fuel cell as a source of on-board electrical energy.
It powers the electric motor (propulsion system) directly as well as helping to recharge the batteries.
However the production 207 CC will be fitted with Peugeot's range of four-cylinder petrol engines, driving the front wheels.
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