Open Sesame! The Peugeot 1007

The Peugeot 1007, with its characteristic 'Open Sesame' doors, has finally arrived in Malta with local agents Michael Attard Ltd unveiling the French marque's latest arrival at its showroom in Blata L-Bajda on Friday.

Hailed as "a new driving experience" the 1007 embodies all of the promised innovations designed to make life easier and writes a new chapter on the design and safety standards of small family cars in the B segment.

Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 2002, the Sesame concept car conveyed creativity and boldness that immediately enchanted the public.

An expressive and functional design by Pininfarina, exhibiting balance, dynamic and elegant proportions, the 1007 asserts the new stylistic front identity of the Peugeot marque - a large, unique mouth with a cat-like expression!

This is a small car with a big personality: at a compact 3.73 metres long, it is ideal for threading in and out of traffic or parking in busy shopping centres. With a single compartment silhouette 1.62 metres high, it provides ample interior space and user-friendliness, allowing a high and dominating driving position that ensure excellent visibility and safety.

The Open Sesame remote-controlled electric sliding doors are standard on all 1007 models. They create a generous and innovative opening (920mm in length) that provides unprecedented accessibility to the passenger compartment. The doors slide backwards without exceeding the overall length of the car and their mechanical action ensures that they stay close to the body, only exceeding the width of the door mirrors by less that one centimetre, allowing parking in very narrow spaces.

The doors contribute to the excellent panoramic visibility enjoyed by all occupants, itself a source of safety - they protect motorcyclists and cyclists from inadvertent opening of traditional hinged doors. They are meticulously designed and equipped with the maximum number of operating safety systems.

Ingenious modularity

The welcoming and robust front seats slide over a generous distance to facilitate still further access to the rear seats. The modular front passenger seat has a seat back that can be folded against the seat cushion, converting it into a useful workstation. Pushed back as far as it will go, this seat opens up an unusual amount of space, ideal for heavy, bulky objects.

Each of the two individual rear seats slides 230mm (one of the most generous in its category). The seat back has two tilt positions and can be folded flat to create a 'shelf'; each seat can easily be folded concertina-style against the front seats, using hydraulic assistance. Their sliding mechanism can vary the space reserved for luggage from 192 to 246 litres.

This clever little car is practical too - there is a large glovebox, drawers under the front seats, storage spaces in the rear foot wells and real panels, "temporary" storage spaces in the front fascia panel and the console, straps, pockets etc.

The new innovative concept allows customers to choose the trim and décor of the 1007 from 12 individual kits, each supplementing the standard dark blue interior.

At the wheel

The 1007 range features two petrol engines (1.4 litre - 75 bhp and 1.6 litre - 110 bhp) and a 1.4 litre diesel (70 bhp), ensuring excellent performance and a high level of acoustic comfort.

The suspension systems used on the 1007 platform have been adapted to accommodate the special architectural characteristics of this new silhouette in terms of height and centre of gravity to ensure road holding and comfort worthy of a saloon.

The design is based on a McPherson type rear suspension with a deformable crossmember, combined with electric power steering and 15" or 16" wheels.

The 1007 offers a high level of active safety enhanced by an ESP (Electronic Stability Programme) including ABS, electronic front brake force distribution, traction control and yaw control. All models come with emergency brake assist and automatic activation of hazard warning lights in sharp deceleration.

Designed to resist even the most severe impact and awarded a 5 Star Euro NCAP occupant protection rating, the structure of the 1007 and its Open Sesame electric sliding doors provides the most effective protection possible, supplemented inside by numerous restraint systems for the occupants.

Seven air bags (including a steering column airbag) protect the safety of four occupants, while an audible warning and warning lights in the display alert occupants if a seat belt is not fastened or has come loose. There is also a special retractable child surveillance mirror.

Models

The basic level Vitamine version boasts the entire concept package, as well as a host of equipment like electric windows, remote door locking, electric mirrors and trip computer.

The Dolce and Sporty models are parallel versions offering two stylistic interpretations, each with their distinctive style and a range of equipment like rear parking assistance, automatic dipped beam activation, automatic front windscreen wiper with rain sensor, cruise control, automatic regulation of air conditioning combined with an active charcoal filter and electric folding door mirrors.

Dolce and Sporty also feature fog lights, air conditioning with athermic front windscreen, mono CD radio with controls on the steering wheel, a more comprehensive multifunction display, a leather steering wheel, a one-touch operation with safety auto reverse for the electric windows, a child surveillance mirror and a luggage net.