|
By
EWAN KENNEDY
10 March 2008
Peugeot is taking the Australian car market very seriously.
So much so that it chose this country for the world launch of the
station wagon variant of its new 308 series.
As well as flying in the car specially for its Melbourne
International Motor Show debut, Peugeot also sent several chiefs
from head office to study our local automotive market.
The launch itself was one of the most spectacular ever seen in
Australia. The wagon was apparently veiled by a red cover, however
this cover was actually the very large skirt of a girl lifted
towards the clouds in a manner that gathered plenty of oohs and
aahs from the assembled spectators. Peugeot’s head office in
France would have been delighted with the reception of its latest
model by the Australian audience.
It’s not easy to make a wagon look interesting, but Peugeot
designers have done a pretty good job of integrating the space-age
front of the 308 to a practical rear and keeping a fair bit of
French flair into the bargain.
More importantly, there's good space back there, with room for
an optional pair of rear seats. We have had a sit in the seats and
can report that while they aren't really suited to adults, the
kids will just love having their own area at the back of the car.
The large glass roof takes much of the bulkiness out of the
body and will work well in Europe, though we will have to try it
for ourselves in sunny Australia before making our final judgement.
The 308 Touring wagon displayed here was only a preview model.
It won’t be on sale in this country until towards the end of
2008. Details on specifications and pricing will be made available
at that time.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
|
