Peugeot 308 CC Launches in Australia

With the launch of the Peugeot 308 CC on the Australian market, the car will become the first Peugeot convertible to have a diesel engine Down Under. The 2.0 HDi FAP diesel engine will be mated to a new 6-speed automatic gearbox and will deliver "excelent torque and fuel efficiency." Still, the most praised features (by the Aussie Peugeot branch at least) of the CC are not its performances, but its safety level.

The Peugeot 308 CC has front airbags with a capacity of 60 liters for the driver and 90 liters for the front passenger, chest/pelvis side airbags have a capacity of 12 liters and the side head airbag is 9 liters. The new convertible comes with a Bosch 8.1 ESP system that includes ABS, electronic brake force distribution, traction control and stability control, providing an excelent standard package for the Australian market.

The Peugeot 308 CC scored the top five stars rating in the EuroNcap crash tests. The French coupe-convertible got 36 points out of a possible maximum of 37 in the “adult occupancy test”.

The 308 CC introduces a world first side head airbag and chest/pelvis side airbag, both built into the front seats. This is meant to help protect the occupant's vital parts regardless of the seat's position at the time of impact.

Another safety feature that helps the Peugeot 308 CC get such a high rating is the active extendable aluminum roll-over protection bar, enclosed in the rear head restraints. They are triggered in the event of vehicle instability, taking in consideration speed and angular inclination.

Though the 308 CC shares the engine compartment design with the 308 hatchback, with three impact absorption structures, important adaptations have been made to the upper structure. This is connected to the reinforced A pillar.

Due to these modifications, the structure is now reported to withstand a force of 12 tonnes, while the larger doors provide the same safety level as the three-door 308, coping with a force of 6.5 tonnes.