Peugeot 307 arrives in Trinidad.
Article & Photography by Rawle E. Francis

Latin American Press Launch
5th October 2001
Punta Del Este, Uruguay

A beautiful hostess stood proudly holding a large Peugeot 307 banner at the Buenos Aries International Airport in Argentina, South America. Alas! We are celebrities I thought.

I represented the Trinidad's Guardian Newspaper in test driving the all new, ultra modern 2001 Peugeot 307 Hatchback in Punta Del Este, Uruguay. The thought of being a celebrity was short lived however, because I soon realized that everyone who had traveled first class with us from Caracas was a delegate from various Latin American countries and they were also going to be introduced to 307.

After a day of rest and relaxation not to mention shopping at Argentina's most exclusive hotel we were all whisked of to the South America Riviera of Punta Del Este located in scenic Uruguay for a long drive in the famed 307.

The South East Coast of Uruguay seemed like an odd venue for the exquisite press debut of a European best seller, but only at first glance. Between the attractive countryside and the perfect sky that blessed Punta Del Este, I can safely say that there could not have been a more glorious place in the world to introduce such a magnificent vehicle. More importantly every bit of roadway selected for our 300km jaunt exercised every muscle on 307's body.

Upon arrival at our final destination, the Hotel Art which was snuggled in a secluded location high in the hills over looking Punta Del Este we were greeted by Mr. Paul Alvarez, Peugeot's International Director of Communications.

ENTER THE PERECT HATCHBACK.

Our entire entourage which included Trevor Thorpe of Motoring News inBarbados, Kingsly Morris of Jamaica, Dexi Argfüelles of Automotriz.net in Venezuela was totally bedazzled the spectacle before us. 20 Identical 307 Hatchback vehicles stood graciously in the hotels courtyard ready for adventure.

The Latin American press representatives were then formally introduced to 307 by Jose Mailhe, Alain Polge and Roberto Alvarez, International Executives of Peugeot of France.

The drivers briefing afforded us the opportunity to familiarize ourselves with the dynamics of the 307 and to learn more about the 300km landscape which we were about to navigate. According to Paul Alvarez the route was purposely chosen because of its long straight roadways, sharp corners, undulating mountain side, dual carriageways to town streets, bumpy coastal routes and a stretch of about 10 kilometers of dirt road, "the route was drawn up in such a way that all the functions of the 307 are put to test, with respect to acceleration capacity, the comfort that the suspension offers and all its accessories", said Alvarez.

Within 20 minutes our group was given the keys to some 15 odd 307's. We then dashed to the courtyard as we were all eager to put 307's pedal to the metal. I had done some research on the new model prior to our trip. I was pleasantly surprised however, the 307's presence is even more alluring than photos let on.

The Peugeot 307 looks like an enlarged 206 at first glance. Moreover, it relies on headlights from the flagship 607 model. Its external dimensions-4,202 mm long, 1,746 mm wide and 1,510 mm high, make the Peugeot 307 one of the largest cars in the compact car segment. The long wheelbase and wide track keep the 307 four-square on the road, stable on the faster corners and over the bumpier stretches. It's the kind of car which will keep pace with the driver's mood.
The hood is heavily slanted and combined with a huge windshield that makes the side profile appear wedge-shaped. The slanting windshield, combined with the positioning of the center console seems to increase the already-roomy interior which features an impressive 2,608mm wheelbase. The dashboard is elegant with a smash-hit array of conventional dials as well. They have very attractive angled metal rims and clear figures. The whole arrangement gives you the impression that the readings on them must be accurate. It's these minor refinements that make all the difference.
All the switches and controls are arranged conveniently and were easy to use. Our Test-307 1.6 possessed some high-quality equipment. For example six Airbags two in front, four at the side, doubly adjustable steering wheel, electrically adjustable wing mirrors on the driver's side.phpherical, power windows, on board computers with outside temperature announcement, stereo radio with CD Player and steering wheel adjustment, single arm seat-backs in front, three head restraints in the back, thermal protection glazing and light alloy wheels.
The interior offers ample legroom both in the front and rear, after all I am 6'2" so even very tall people can travel in the Peugeot in comfort. Driving the 307 is an effortless experience, and the driving position can be tailored thanks to a four-way adjustable steering column and a height adjustable seat

Exterior paintwork comes in any one of 14 colours. Peugeot coins the expression "ambiences" to define its different interior trim and colour coding combinations, Peugeot has five of them - Diamond, Ivory, Cedar, Cobalt and Titan - all of which offer various combinations of upholstery, door trim, center console and fascia treatment.

If you fancy Aubergine paintwork with ivory-coloured leather upholstery and the wood-effect console trim? No problem. There is no doubt that Peugeot is offering the 307 with a remarkable amount of customer choice

Rounding off our testing experience, we spent time on a variety of marked roads. Uruguay's paved roads allow ample opportunity to experience the 307 at both high and cruising speeds. The greater part of our trek comprised of roadways with no visible speed limit signs. Our odometer remained close to 150Km on average and the car felt very comfortable and steady with minimal wind noise or resistance, this being a major benefit of that heavily slanted front.

Even under deliberate off-road challenges, we did not experience that severe, side-to-side head-shaking motion which we are accustomed to, yet another plus... On the curves, bumps, blind bends, deceptive hills, viciously cambered and unfamiliar roads around Punta Del Este, the 307 displayed that its chassis has inherited all of the good points of its predecessor, the sublimely balanced 306. Its effective torque, neat responses, super-accurate steering combined with its unflappable cornering stance and ability to soak up the bumps enable it to speed along. In my opinion the 307 really excelled.

The engine line-up has already been established for the Trinidad market. This means you get 16 valves and fuel injection, although the 80-kW/147 Nm 1600cc engine has to work to keep the 1193-kilogram kerb mass moving with any real speed. Despite the modest output it is a sophisticated unit and boasts common fuel rail, high-pressure injection as well as a high level of refinement. Peugeot claim that it'll use just 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres- enough for a very long drive on a 60 litre tank! Bang for you BUCK

Personally I think that the new hatchback has been designed around customers' expectations of what a 21st Century car should be with superb levels of functionality and dynamism.

Will the new 307 be the world's leading hatch in terms of safety? Though we were unable to test any of the safety features it looks that way. The 307's safety features put it on par with other, more expensive sedans. For instance, buyers will get ABS with electronic braking distribution, emergency braking assistance, ESP stability control, active rear seat with anti-subsidence headrests as well as seatbelt pre-tensioners plus front, side and curtain airbags, anti-whiplash front seats and a steering column designed to crumple in the event of a front-end smash.

Peugeot has also gone to town on interior storage areas. There are plenty of hooks, lockers and pockets including slide-out trays under the front seats.

I clearly remember expressing absolute joy and satisfaction to Mr. Mahabir when we had come to the end of our 4hour test drive. Time flies when you are having fun. But I must blame the comfortable attributes of 307 for the loss of time
.
At a formal press conference after our invigorating day, our hosts invited questions and comments about the new Peugeot 307 platform. Of great importance to me was the question on the availability of an automatic transmission for this model. Mailhe responded that an automatic Tiptronic transmission developed by Porsche is available. However for the Latin American markets it will be necessary to wait until 2002, when the Tiptronic transmission will be available in the models with 1.6L engines.

The 307 is the best-selling model in the Peugeot family's 112 years in the motor industry. That's no misprint, because their first steam car took to the roads in 1889.

TEST DRIVE A 307 TODAY...

Peugeot 307 What an Experience Here's how we were kept entertained during our stay.