Pug 207 CC and GTi hit Oz

PEUGEOT’S redesigned 207 CC coupe-convertible and 207 GTi hot-hatch will make their debut Australian appearances at this Friday’s Melbourne motor show opening.

Direct from France, both the 207 CC and GTi are due on sale here by mid-year, and will make their public premiere in Melbourne alongside the all-new 1.6-litre 207 hatch, which was launched locally last week.

Featuring engines co-developed with BMW and shared with the new Mini Cooper, the 207CC is available in Europe with either a 90kW 1.6-litre petrol four, a 112kW turbocharged petrol engine or a 1.6-litre HDi turbo-diesel.

The standard 207 will be priced from around $20,000, for the entry-level variant powered by a 1.4-litre four-cylinder.

A 1.6-litre high-pressure turbo and a 1.6-litre HDi with particulate filter will also be available.

The CC (left) has a leather interior and a fully automatic roof opening that takes about 25 seconds to open or close.

The hot six-speed GTi shares its 130kW/240Nm turbocharged engine with the just-launched Mini Cooper S. The latter’s $39,900 pricetag should give some idea of where Peugeot might price its own version.

The GTi comes with hip-hugging sports seats, low-profile tyres and alloys, and a discrete bodykit with more aggressive spoilers.

The 207 hatch has grown in size over the 206, which continued on sale, and also features improved safety, equipment and quality levels. It has an on-road footprint close to the venerable 306.