By Samuel Ee

IT may have perfect safety credentials but for Singapore buyers, perhaps the most interesting aspect of the new Peugeot 308 CC is that it is the only COE Category A convertible on the market.

With its 1,600cc engine, the 308 CC stands out from its open-top competitors here, all of which are in Cat B, or above 1,600cc.

The front-wheel-driven 308 CC has a turbocharged direct injection engine - the same as the one found in the Mini Cooper.

Peugeot and Mini parent BMW jointly developed this power plant but the Peugeot version has slightly less power although maximum torque is identical.

The model it replaces, the 307 CC, had a naturally aspirated two-litre engine. But like its predecessor, the 308 CC has a two-piece retractable hard top. When the roof is up, the car exhibits the refinement and cabin noise levels of a fixed head coupe.

The vibrations that a soft-top alternative would normally experience are also absent because the 308 CC bodyshell has been made more rigid.

The 308 CC carries over the platform of the 307 CC although the body is longer and wider. There is another important modification - the front section has been heavily strengthened so that the car now achieves a perfect five-star EuroNCAP crash safety rating. Its predecessor only managed four stars.

Inside, there are six airbags (from four previously), including a novel headrest airbag in place of a curtain bag. A world's first, this side head airbag is in addition to the side thorax and pelvis airbags.

Also new is the pair of one-piece sports bucket seats for the front occupants and a so-called D-design flat-bottomed steering wheel. And unlike most convertibles, the rear bench will actually accommodate two average-size adults, with comfortable head and leg room.

With a separate rear aircon and Xenon headlamps with auto swivel function, the 308 CC promises to be the safe and chic alternative.

This article was first published in The Business Times.