 |
Dross sisters Joey and Sheethal Baijoo does not
rate the Peugeot 107's nostalgic charms at all. |
Peugeot launched its 107 and immediately got an ‘oooh’ from the
Fiat 500 fans. ALWYN VILJOEN checked if the Pug is a girl
magnet.
Between the 107 and the Fiat 500, a big battle now looms for the hearts of drivers who like cars
that can pull off a pink spin.
The 107 offers everything they want, colour, flair, storage space,
power steering, air conditioning, a long motor plan and a radio, Oh, yes, there
is an engine-thingy up-front with a big spare wheel in the boot too.
Peugeot says its mini has already won the hearts of local motorists
and Peugeot Pietermaritzburg agrees. They had to wait a week for the two
cherry-red models they ordered, one of which is already sold.
Substantially face-lifted in 2009, the new 107 kept its boot, but
did a whole nose job. As befits a girly car that went for a makeover, the air
bags are now also bigger, firmly packed into a cabin with revised trim package,
an improved sound system and a wider range of connectivity options. And last,
but not least, the 1,0-litre, three-cylinder petrol engine has undergone several
refinements “to enhance further its already legendary fuel efficiency and low
emissions”.
Peugeots says that the redesign reflects the latest styling trends
of the Peugeot marque.
Sister restaurateurs Joey and Sheethal Baijoo feel that Peugeot has
missed the point a bit in going all modern. Joey drives a Fiat 500, a car that
she says she fell in love with for the classic lines.
About the little Pug she is more diplomatic. “It looks good, but
not as good as mine,” she said.
“Mine is a lot more vintage.”
Not that Peugeot’s designers will mind her dissing their lack of a
classic line. They aimed instead to place “a greater emphasis on sophistication,
while retaining the hatchback’s cheeky, youthful character”.
The more upmarket Trendy model even has the now obligatory LED
daytime running lights “that emphasise the side-protector profiles”.
Sheethal, who drives a Cherry, thinks Peugeot may have succeeded.
“I can see our young mums driving this to a tea meeting after dropping off the
children, but I definitely can’t see any of the guys arriving in it to have an
8 am business meeting,” said Sheethal.
Peugeot says that people unfamiliar with the 107 will be
“pleasantly surprised by the intelligent packaging, which creates a capacious
and inviting interior, with easy seating for four adults. The five-door body
shell also ensures convenient access to the rear bench seat.”
Translated, it means that yes, you can seat four adults in the
French mini, despite it being so small that a long-armed driver can reach stuff
in the boot. An all-new sound system offers a CD player with MP3 compatibility.
In the case of the Trendy model, the system also includes Bluetooth hands-free
connectivity and a USB slot for flash drives.
Will either of the sisters buy one, considering the entry-level Pug
is R27 300 cheaper than the Fiat?
“Don’t look at the price tag, do the sums and check the interest
you end up paying. Fiat has fantastic finance, that did it for me,” said
Joey.
PRICE COMPARISON
Peugeot 107 Urban:
R116 500
Peugeot 107 Trendy:
R127 900
Prices include a
five-year or
100 000 km warranty, and a five-year or 100 000 km maintenance plan as standard.
100 000 km warranty, and a five-year or 100 000 km maintenance plan as standard.
Fiat announced its Turn
Everyday Into a Good Day promotion with the Fiat 500 1,2 for just R1 999 per
month, with a 10% deposit, 30% balloon payment,
60 months payments period, and an interest rate of 7,32%.Using these numbers on Peugeot’s website, its calculator spits out a basic repayment of R2 830,02 per month for the 107 Urban, a tad more than Fiat’s R1 999.
60 months payments period, and an interest rate of 7,32%.Using these numbers on Peugeot’s website, its calculator spits out a basic repayment of R2 830,02 per month for the 107 Urban, a tad more than Fiat’s R1 999.
