68 LIFESTYLE MOTORING Wheel L The Peugeot 208 will make you desire that hatchback like never before. MUHIBAH WORDS ANIS RAMLI
ove Once the playground for Europe’s rich aristocrats and the Portuguese royal family, Cascais (pronounced Cash-kaISH) today courts the young and stylish with its sophisticated vibe and relaxed atmosphere. Holidaymakers are discovering the magic that has made Cascais known as the Coast of Kings. They fall in love with the sinewy streets that snake their way pass whitewashed villages, the dreamy dune landscape dotted with seasonal foliage, and the dramatic, heart-stopping cliffs overlooking the magnifi cent Atlantic Ocean. It is against this backdrop that Peugeot unveils its new 208, the successor of the famous 207, designed primarily to bring sexy back in its hatchback. It’s not surprising to have Peugeot choose Cascais as the point of which to test drive the new 208. A town with a rich and colourful history, Cascais seems to mirror the evolution of the 208 and its glorious heritage passed down from the 205 model. There was Cascais’ compact size to refl ect the style of the 208, the palm-brushed beach and lazy joie de vivre to celebrate the model’s new-found aesthetics, and the town’s relaxed spirit that encapsulates the emotion of the driving experience. Once the car was in front of us, stepping inside, it was immediately clear that the team at Peugeot had put a lot of thought into rekindling the romance between driving and driver. The fi rst initial thought upon taking to the wheels was that driving was certainly a pleasure. The luxurious comfort of space at the front was undeniable, where driver also has seat height adjustment. Rear passengers might fi nd the 5cm extra space up from 207’s model a bit welcoming, but with the sloping roofl ine, adults are better off giving up this space for kids. The story at the back was similar, with the boot growing by 15 litres to 285 litres. The panoramic roof, ambient lighting and tactile mix of metal and leather just add to the sophisticated fl air. There’s also the tiny, go kart-style steering wheel to start conversation. Some may fi nd it surprising, but this purpose-designed wheel was to allow the instrument cluster to be in line with the natural fi eld of vision. Peugeot believes this will entice 80 percent of the drivers to buy, saying the new style design provides “ease of driving and manoeuverabilty”. Driving out of Cascais, the fi ve-speed manual gearbox helps provide a punch to the 1.2L engine. The 110kgs shaved off from the 207 for this new model made the 208 an easy cruiser on Portugal’s highways. Once off road, as the route took us through wild and craggy mountains, winding roads, and highland pastures, it was apparent that Peugeot’s three cylinder engine was the right choice. With 82bhp on hand, it gives 0-62mph in 12.2 seconds, 62.8mpg and 104g/km carbon dioxide emissions. The 208 grips the road with commendable dexterity and took to corners with little or no body roll. At the halfway point in Vila Verde dos Francos, we changed vehicle to the 1.6l VTi version. This time, the car attacked the sinewy farm roads onwards to the twisty, cobblestoned streets of Sintra with added agility. Sintra, the UNESCO-proclaimed World Heritage Site, is full of tight corners and spots, which really put the 208’s tiny steering wheel to the test. And it passed with fl ying colours. The Peugeot 208 is the most stylish model in the supermini class. It still comes with the same trim varieties as other Peugeot models: A fl oating grille, newly sculptured lights and boomerang rear lamps. Eco-design is another area in which the 208 had to prove itself a pioneer. With the integration of 25 percent “green materials” out of the 170kg of polymers (excluding rubber) present on the vehicle (compared with 7 percent on the 207), the 208 enters a new stage in terms of ecodesign. In particular, it has an entirely recycled rear bumper, which is a world fi rst for these materials, until now used only for concealed parts, as well as a radiator frame and fan which are also entirely recycled. Winding down the test drive back in the fl atlands of Cascais, we rode to the westernmost point of Portugal, the Cabo Da Roca (Cape Roca). Against the backdrop of the haunting lighthouse and end-of-the-world cliffs, it was clear that with the 208, Peugeot had successfully shaken off the ghost of its predecessor to create a stylish, compact car with innovative fl air perfect for city drivers. JULY | AUGUST 2012 69