FOLLOWING the successful launch of the 206 SW, Peugeot has introduced a new top of the range sporty model to the line-up: the 206 SW 2.0 Si, which is priced at £14,680 on the road.

The 206 SW, which is a car the size of a conventional hatchback, while boasting the practicality of an estate, builds on the success of Britain's best-selling retail car, the Peugeot 206, and along with the 206 CC is the third silhouette to shape the 206 range.

Exterior design features include a colour coded sports front bumper apron, black gloss door pillars, aluminium fuel filler cap and 16ins alloy wheels. Inside it has aluminium pedals and gearknob, sports front seats and a leather steering wheel.

As with the rest of the SW range, the 2.0 Si is visually identical to its hatchback sister from the A-pillar forwards, whereas from the B-pillar aft, it is entirely new.

The most notable difference between the hatchback and the SW is the extra 19.3cm of length the 206 SW carries behind the rear wheels to provide a suitably large load area. Black pillars give the 206 SW a well-defined waist that follows the tapering window line. The rear outer door panels have their handles subtly incorporated into the door pillars, but given a grained texture to be easily distinguishable from the bodywork.

The distinctive black side mouldings and black roof rails add to the look. At the back, the tail-lights wrap round the body to give a boomerang shape, and are as easily seen from the side as from the rear.

The 206 SW 2.0 Si shares an innovative feature which is standard across the SW range the independent opening rear tailgate window, a world first for its class. This allows for easy loading and unloading of goods. The rear wiper is attached to the window. To make life easy for the driver, either the whole tailgate, or just the rear window can be unlocked with the key fob.