PEUGEOT 308 CC 2008-2011 Photos, engines & full specs

It was time for the compact coupe-cabriolet 307 from Peugeot to retire and make room for the new generation, the 308 CC.

Peugeot was responsible for creating the hard-top retractable vehicles in 1934 when it unveiled the 401 Eclipse, followed by the 402 Eclipse in the following year. That happened decades before Ford created the Skyliner Retractable in 1957. Moreover, Peugeot also brought back the trend in 2000 when it launched the 206 CC, followed by the 207 CC and the larger 307 CC. But in late 2008, the French automaker made the expected move of introducing a retractable hard-top version for the regular, compact 308.

While the front of the vehicle was similar to the one offered by its siblings, everything changed from the A-pillars to the back. First and foremost, the windshield's pillars were thicker than on the rest of the range. Moving on, the short roof was followed by a sloped rear windscreen when the top was up or by air when it was down. And the driver could make that happen in 20 seconds. At the back, the trunk's shape sported the third brake lamp integrated into a neat lip spoiler. In addition, the taillights that featured two LED lines looked better than the rest of the 308 range.

Peugeot's promise was that four adults could sit in the car, and that was true. Yet, the legroom for the rear passengers was very limited, especially if the front occupants were taller. But on short, urban trips was fine. In addition, the dashboard looked better than the rest of the range since it was available in matching colors with the upholstery, even if that was red.

Under the hood, the 308 CC sported a range of inline-four turbocharged powerplants, either gasoline or diesel-powered. Still, only selected versions were gifted with an automatic transmission.