Peugeot 407 3.0 V6
Peugeots 407 3.0 V6 Is A Desirable Flagship To The range. And You Can Argue A Case For Owning One On Sensible Grounds. Jonathan Crouch Does Just That
Why would you buy a V6 version of a volume-badged Medium Range Mondeo-sized family car? In one sense, its hard to imagine why people do it. In another sense, its hard to imagine why more people dont.
In discussion of the car we feature here, Peugeots 407 3.0 V6, lets start by taking the first point. In buying the saloon version of this car for either £21,250 or £23,250 (depending on whether you choose SE Luxury Pack or Executive trim), you know youre going to be in for a spot of. well, depreciation.
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Just as you would be if you were to buy any of this 407s equivalently priced rivals, cars like Fords Mondeo 3.0 V6, Renaults Laguna 3.0 V6 or Vauxhalls Vectra 3.2-litre V6.
But then surely you can afford to give away a little money to the used car purchaser when youre getting such a good deal in the first place. To get a comparable Compact Executive Car with V6 petrol power and more than 200bhp say a Mercedes C320, a
BMW 330i or an
Audi A4 - would mean the outlay of £6,000-£10,000 more. And for what? A car that is smaller, probably less well equipped and familiar down your street to the point of boredom. It also is unlikely to come with the kind of discount youre in a better position to get from a volume franchise dealer.
So, weve had the arguments for the prosecution and the defence. None of them however, will be of any account should the car in question prove to be a duffer. Fortunately, thats not the case here. Were this
Peugeot to be endowed with almost any prestige badge you care to name, it would feel worthy of bearing it.
"Were this Peugeot to be endowed with almost any prestige badge you care to name, it would feel worthy of bearing it."
As driving enthusiasts, we might feel a twinge of regret that this is no longer an overgrown family hatch with the trademark terrier-like handling that Peugeots in that class all tend to have. Instead, its a downsized version of the French companys 607 Executive Saloon. Not so downsized in fact, when you break out the tape measure, and close enough in every other respect to make any potential buyer of the larger car question the need to do so. The 407 also holds the further advantage that it can be ordered not only as a saloon but also in SW estate guise.
Unlike its rivals, Peugeot sees no need to offer a sporty version of their V6 flagship in the 407 line-up. In fact, so marked is the emphasis on comfort rather than performance that your dealer wont even be able to offer you a manual gearbox option. Not that this car cant shift expectations should the situation demand it. With 211bhp on tap, rest to sixty is dispatched in 8.
2s on the way to a maximum of 146mph. Be careful before comparing these figures with those of rival
Ford,
Renault or
Vauxhall V6s (all apparently a couple of seconds and a few mph quicker) since neither of these cars are automatic-only. As with any car in this sector its better not to ask about either fuel consumption or emissions. However, for the record, its worth pointing out that the 407 V6 betters all its key rivals in both areas with a 29mpg average and a 233g/km figure.
Safety-wise, 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 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. The cabin looks very Peugeot - which is possibly the weakest part of the 407 make up. Its neat and everything seems to work very nicely but there isnt a great deal of showroom wow factor to it.
Sophisticated multiplexed electronics allow for a huge amount of individual customisation when specifying your 407, with such features as rear view mirrors linked to reverse gear, parking sensors, self-imposed speed limiters, low tyre pressure monitors and variable cruise control systems all capable of being fitted quickly and, just as importantly, at very modest expense. So weve argued - justifiably - a strong case in the defence of this car. And it would be stronger case still were it not for the excellence of todays breed of modern diesels. The 2.
2-litre HDi 136 unit found elsewhere in the 407 line-up does, after all, boast superior torque to the petrol V6, for all its 75bhp power disadvantage. Ultimately however, it just doesnt feel as special. Mind you, with the fitment of the 206bhp
Jaguar-derived 2.7-Litre V6 HDi in this car, the case for abandoning the black pump will be much harder to argue.
For the time being though, if youre looking for the ultimate in 407 motoring, then this is it.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Peugeot 407 3.0 V6
PRICE: £21,250-£24,350 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 15-16 CO2 [g/km]: 233g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9.2s / Max Speed 146mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (average) 29mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: [saloon] length/width/heightmm 4676/1811/1445mm
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