There are a number of things that have impressed me more than the Peugeot 308 CC, and many of these I hadn't expected. This year's Status Quo gig in Dubai was a case in point. Quite the opposite of the convertible Pug, which is chic and stylish where Quo are not, the ageing rockers showed some real substance and an ability to entertain.
Likewise I was mightily taken by one of the region's budget airline operators when I last flew with them. The planes might not have the lines and the sports seats of the Peugeot, but there was plenty of unexpected room inside and the ride was more cushioned.
And, although I can hardly bring myself to say this, I have been enjoying the new service my telecom company has been providing of late, giving me greater flexibility and faster online speed. Unfortunately, performance and agility are not two USPs of this 308, which is a shame because they might be if it weren't for the extra weight of the hard-top convertible roof.
I have to admit that I wasn't at all impressed by the 308, but I wasn't horrified either by a car that was released in Europe just over a year ago, and has been here for around six months. There are some very good aspects of this car that stand out in the most Gallic of ways. For instance, its design: it has personality, a growling look that is de rigeur with mass-production cars these days, as well as excellent finish and plenty of presence. The ebony paintwork contrasts nicely with the number of chrome features while the joins of the three-piece roof are reasonably incongruous.
What lets down the exterior, though, is the need for space to house the roof when it is stowed away. When viewed from behind, the boot becomes the booty and there's way too much weight on its rear to blend in with the sylphlike front and flanks. This is not a new trait of the 300 series of convertibles, but when you either love it or hate it, I'm with the latter.
The inside is beautifully presented with excellent materials, plenty of Gallic style, a good level of luxury and barmy touches that would infuriate even the most patient folk. For instance, I didn't realise how much the world had been improved with the arrival of the adjustable steering wheel; without one, as in the 308, every position would feel like steering an old Alpha. Not only did I need short legs and long arms, gorilla-style, I needed X-ray vision to see through the steering wheel for the important business of checking the speedo.
Also old school is the lack of knobs and knockers on the virgin steering wheel - a long-forgotten throwback to the past. But this time the annoyance came from my inability to work out the buttons for the cruise control, buried away out of sight to the bottom left behind the wheel, and the stereo controls, to the right. Instead of the "convenience controls" I would resort to reaching for the radio dials - performing abdominal crunches in the process.
For whatever reason, the highly attractive black-on-white dials on the speedo did not register the even decimals while the odd ones were highly magnified. As a result, it is tricky to remain the right side of legal without focusing on the empty space between 110 and 130 instead of the road - made doubly hard by the restrictive wheel.
The material sports seats really do look the part, with integrated headrests and side bolstering to add to the effect. Unfortunately, it was all effect, with the soft seats offering little lateral support in return for their side-hugging promise. And please don't talk to me about the wholly ineffective air conditioning. It would have been better to post a punkahwalla in the back, but he probably wouldn't have fitted, so lacking is the leg- and especially the headroom.
On the road, the zip one would feel in a standard 308 dissipates through a combination of the width and straightness of our roads and the weight added by the disposable roof. The 140hp engine puts in the effort but lacks the guts needed to give this car performance to match its coupe appearance; instead, it is a car that has been designed as a cruiser, particularly on the straight. The steering is light at low speeds and progresses to hairy at pace.
You can have a bit of fun with the chassis, especially when you get the rear end to pull out around sharp corners. The suspension is set firm - probably too firm for real cruising comfort - but when driving sensibly, there is nothing wrong with the 308's handling other than the soft steering. A solid set of brakes bring you to a stop in no time.
Inside the very capacious boot is the 308 CC's real draw card: the stowaway roof. It only takes 20 seconds to unfurl it, and even when it's packed inside, there is still around 250 cubic litres of space in the back. It is hard to judge the whole wind-in-your-hair experience in this country at this time of year, but it does seem that the Pug can keep the wind from buffeting even at freeway speeds. When the roof is up, it keeps things quiet and there's very little wind noise from above.
Impressive the 308 might not be, but striking it is. And this is where it hits the mark because it appeals to a feminine, European market that has forever admired Peugeot convertible coupes on the roads. The trouble is, unlike Status Quo, it doesn't travel so well outside Europe.
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Jeff Buckley: From Hallelujah To The Last Goodbye
By Dave Lory with Jim Irvin
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SPECS
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U19 WORLD CUP, WEST INDIES
UAE group fixtures (all in St Kitts)
- Saturday 15 January: UAE beat Canada by 49 runs
- Thursday 20 January: v England
- Saturday 22 January: v Bangladesh
UAE squad:
Alishan Sharafu (captain), Shival Bawa, Jash Giyanani, Sailles
Jaishankar, Nilansh Keswani, Aayan Khan, Punya Mehra, Ali Naseer, Ronak Panoly,
Dhruv Parashar, Vinayak Raghavan, Soorya Sathish, Aryansh Sharma, Adithya
Shetty, Kai Smith
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Women & Power: A Manifesto
Mary Beard
Profile Books and London Review of Books
The five pillars of Islam
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Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
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57%20Seconds
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SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 20: 11am to 7pm - Abu Dhabi World Jiu-Jitsu Festival and Para jiu-jitsu.
Sunday, April 21: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (female) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Monday, April 22: 11am to 6pm - Abu Dhabi World Youth (male) Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Tuesday, April 23: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Masters Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Wednesday, April 24: 11am-6pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Thursday, April 25: 11am-5pm Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Friday, April 26: 3pm to 6pm Finals of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship.
Saturday, April 27: 4pm and 8pm awards ceremony.
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