MOTORS
The Peugeot 108 was jointly developed , as was its predecessor , with Citroen and Toyota – a philosophy that has proven successful with other cars , and clearly works in this instance as well . Drawing from the best bits of all three motor engineering companies , the result is a striking looking car that performs magnificently .
There ' s no denying that with its curvy bodywork , sporty wheels , and trim , the 108 is a great looking car . Our test model was every more of a looker , thanks to its top-spec Purple Berry Roof , and dazzling Diamond White paint job . Sitting on four magnificent 15 " Thorren alloy wheels , and boasting some very eyecatching chrome door handles and mirrors , the 108 looks more than ready for some atypical Peugeot driving fun .
Once inside , having appreciated the very cool Open-and-Go keyless entry system , you ' re treated to a sporty , yet comfortable cockpit , decked out in stylish black Rayura cloth , with a leather steering wheel and gear knob . The 108 cranks the previous generation ' s sporty dash up a few notches , providing an LCD display panel ( which also shows the view from the
reversing camera ); a digital rev counter ; DAB radio ; and the rest of the generous gadgetry trimmings you ' d expect to find on a bigger , more expensive car .
And then , once you ' ve finished gazing fondly at the prettiness of the car , it ' s time to press the ignition button , feel the reassuring throb of the engine kicking in , and try the 108 out on the road .
Peugeot has taken the reins for developing their own 1.2-litre , three-cylinder normal aspirated PureTech engine for the 108 , where previously with the 107 , Toyota were in charge of the power department , and came up with what is a pretty fine 1.0-litre effort – an option that is still available if you opt for the smaller engine 108 . This new Peugeot engine takes the horsepower from 67bhp ( for the 1.0-litre ) up to 81bhp , and more significantly gives the car a considerable increase in torque ( 86lb ft at 2750rpm , instead of 76lb ft ). It also allows this splendidly whizzy little car to get from 0-62mph in 11 seconds , and gives it a top speed of 108mph . Still , the 108 is very economical and clean , managing a combined consumption of 65.7mpg and emissions of 99g / km . As the motoring writer for insideSUSSEX , it ' s fair to assume it wouldn ' t look great if I damaged one of the cars I was testing . So understandably , perhaps , when I try out a car I ' ve never driven before , I like to ease myself in gently . Empty straight roads in the middle of nowhere aid this , and give me a chance to get to know the car before encountering too many other road users .
Hastings and its twisting , turning ( and at times , baffling ) roads , however , did not afford me this luxury . I had to pretty much hit the ground running . Or rather , hit the ground driving . So all credit to the 108 ; from the moment I sat in the driver ' s seat and fired up the keyless ignition , I felt very at home in what seemed a remarkably familiar and friendly car . Maneuverable , nippy , comfortable , and predictably responsive , this fabulous little car was clearly at home in a town environment . A quick three-point turn was made all the easier by great all-round visibility and the 108 ' s excellent reversing cameras , and I was off into Sussex ' s great unknown ...
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