The 207 range
The Peugeot 207 arrived in 2006 to replace the 206, which had sold a staggering nine million units since its launch in 1998, meaning the new model had a lot to live up to. Even at the beginning, the 207 generated bad feeling in the UK because, two years previously, PSA had announced that the model would not be being manufactured at the company’s Ryton-on-dunsmore plant near Coventry. The old factory that had turned out Avengers, as well as various Peugeots, closed forever in December 2006.
In the UK, the 207 never sold quite as well as its predecessor, so the French plants were more than capable of building enough of them for the UK market.
The ‘new’ 207 wasn’t quite as new as it appeared, because it was actually based on the floorpan and suspension of the 2003 Citroën C3. Various petrol engines were available: an underpowered 1.4-litre 8-valve with 75bhp, a 16-valve version with 90bhp and a 1.6-litre 16-valve with 110bhp. The smaller 8-valve units all used belt-drive camshafts, but the 1.4 and 1.6 used VTI units with Valvetronic, upgraded in 2007 to deliver 96bhp and 122bhp respectively. Two turbo units were also available with 150bhp or 175bhp. As far as diesels were concerned, there was a 1.4-litre 70bhp version, as well as a 1.6 90bhp version and a 1.6 110bhp HDI with an intercooler. Production of the 207 came to an end in 2012, with just over 4.1 million cars built, thus coming nowhere close to Peugeot’s best-selling 206. It was replaced by the 208, which was based on the PSA PF1 platform shared with other smaller Peugeots and Citroëns.
The CC (Coupé Convertible) was launched in 2007 to replace the previous 206 CC that had sold pretty well. Various engine and trim options were available, starting with the 120bhp 1.6 VTI and going on through an HDI model with the 112bhp 1.6 diesel engine and the 120/150bhp 1.6 Turbo that we’ve bought – ours is an 150bhp GT version. Trim levels started with the base model Active, which included ABS, alloys, a CD player, electric windows and mirrors, front foglights, ISOFIX, driver and passenger front and side airbags, remote locking and fully adjustable seats and steering column. The Allure and GT models added airconditioning, fully colour-coded bumpers, cruise control, power-fold mirrors, parking sensors and half-leather trim. The Elle limited edition added metallic paint and special leather trim, while the Roland Garros version had two-tone grey/black leather (most of them were white) with heated seats, cruise control, climate control and parking sensors.