Peugeot 407 Coupe 2.7HDi
Every once in a while, I come across a car which, were I capable of signing a cheque for the requisite amount, would prove sorely tempting. Not for one moment did I expect Peugeots 407 Coupe to be one of them but when fitted with a 2.7-litre V6 HDi diesel engine, it becomes a rather charming and endearing proposition. It doesnt try too hard to be sporty, instead playing the mile-munching Grand Tourer card very well indeed.
I must admit to being slightly underwhelmed when pictures of the two-door 407 first dropped across my desk but this is a car that works so much better in the metal.
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On the occasion of its launch, the 407 Coupe looked expensive, theres no two ways about it. Prices for this range-topping 2.7 V6 version started at over £29,000 with the plush GT variant tipping over the 30,000 barrier. On the face of it, these prices seemed unsustainable.
A quick glance at the price list of other coupes shows the Mercedes CLK 220CDI to be similarly priced and that BMWs all-conquering 330Cd is in the same ballpark. What chance did the big French car have against these premium quality German offerings? The answer rapidly dawned on Peugeot; very little. Fortunately, the French marque was big enough to take this on the chin and after reshuffling the range to encompass just one trim level, prices were brutally slashed. At £23,825, the 2.
7-litre HDi 407 Coupe makes wonderful sense. If youre rather sick of coupes harping on about their sports credentials, the 407 Coupe comes as a breath of fresh air. It will hustle happily through a set of fast sweepers and its body control is always unflustered but this is not a sporty car. Youll know within ten yards of setting off that the quiet helm and velvety ride quality instead focus on refinement and civility rather than balls-out aggression.
The Peugeot is a better car for this mature and genteel attitude. The 2.7-litre diesel engine has been developed in conjunction with Ford, variants of which are found beneath the bonnet of the Jaguars S-TYPE and XJ as well as the Land Rover Discovery. Fitted with an FAP particulate filter, in this guise, it develops a hefty 205bhp.
By comparison, the petrol 3.0-litre engine thats also fitted to the 407 Coupe feels weedy. Just a glance at the torque statistics will show why. The petrol-engined car manages a peak torque figure of 218lb/ft versus a whopping 330lb/ft for the diesel model.
"This is a real feel-good sort of car"
Youll feel the difference out on the open road. The 2.7 HDi 407 Coupe features an automatic gearbox for super-relaxed cruising but the petrol gets a manual gearbox as standard. Where the big petrol-engined car, would require a drop down to fifth or even fourth on some motorway gradients, the automatic diesel just keeps ploughing on regardless.
Such is the refinement of the 407 Coupe that youll often find yourself travelling far faster than you at first imagined, something worth bearing in mind when coming into a hairpin bend! The combination of engine smoothness and noise insulation (helped by features such as laminated side windows) also means that this is one of the only diesel engines Ive ever driven that feels happy being driven right to the redline. Whereas most oil burners sound very harsh and cease to produce meaningful go as you approach the rev limiter, the Peugeots big V6 just keeps pulling. Peugeot have set something of a precedent to follow with some very good previous Euro NCAP crash test results but the 407 again takes a big step forward. Active safety comes in the form of brake discs with a diameter of up to 330mm and next-generation ESP stability control which is standard on every model.
As well as marshalling the anti-skid function, ESP also acts as a controller for the anti lock braking system, the emergency brake assist and the electronic brakeforce distribution to each individual wheel. The chassis itself incorporates not only the highest level of torsional rigidity ever seen on a Peugeot saloon as you might expect but it also features a device known as an impactor that anchors the engine to the subframe and prevents it being shunted into the passenger cell in the event of a crash. Pedestrian protection is a major design criterion these days and the 407 features foam padded bumper bars and a bonnet that deforms to absorb shock, the top of the engine a good distance below that sweeping bonnet line. Up to nine air bags can be specified twin fronts, side, curtain and steering column units offer optimum protection.
When this car was launched, I opined that if Peugeot could swipe £4,000 or so off the list price of the 407 Coupe, it would undoubtedly be in with a shot. Now that they have, the 2.7 HDi 407 Coupe could really make an impact. This is one of the most appealing and self confident cars Ive driven for a long while but those qualities will likely escape much of the target clientele.
A test drive will do much to convert the sceptics and the sticker price should be enough to seal the deal.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Peugeot 407 Coupe V6 HDi
PRICES: £23,825 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 17
CO2 EMISSIONS: 226g/km (auto)
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8.2s / Max Speed 143mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (combined) 33.2mpg (auto)
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS, ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/width/height 4815/1868/1399mm
