Peugeot has opened the doors on its new one-double-oh-seven super-mini. Featuring innovative electric sliding doors the 1007 looks set to start a new trend. The doors have several benefits: principally better access for passengers and more opportunities to park around town thanks to not having to swing the door open. The design may also spell the end to car park door dinks and limbs trapped in doors blown shut by the wind. The doors can be opened by pressing a button on the remote and give complete unhindered access to the interior space.
The interior features a flexible seating and storage system courtesy of the independent rear seats and is very spacious due to its high roofline: overall height is 1.61m. Another novel feature is the interchangeable colour inserts that allow the owner to personalise or facelift the interior periodically to reflect their mood or changing fashion. As well this innovation the car is said to offer class leading safety equipment including upto seven airbag locations, including one on the steering column.
The car features a familiar line-up of Peugeot engines: 1.4 and 1.6-litre petrols and a 1.4-litre Hdi. These will drive through a conventional manual or, optional on petrols, the new "2-tronic" gearbox which can be used as a sequential manual 'box with paddle gearshift or as an automatic. The 1007 goes on sale in May with prices around the £11k mark.
Shane O' Donoghue - 10 Jul 2004