Not 2 Grand Cars, Peugeot

The Peugeot 407 Coupe…

The 407 Coupe, it’s the thinking man’s coupe, or something.

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]You can thank bargain-hunting Twitter supremo Not-quite Classics for this one, because frankly, we had completely forgotten that it exists. That’s nothing against the 407 Coupe in particular, it’s just lost in a sea of incredibly dull offerings from Peugeot in recent years. This one is a bit of a gem though, especially considering it’s easy to get one for less than £1,000. That’s half our budget. We could buy one AND get a KFC family bucket. Sweet.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”2047″ img_size=”full” onclick=”img_link_large” css_animation=”appear”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Is that a striking looking car or what? We think it’s quite handsome, but then again, we also fancy Lucy Alexander from Homes under The Hammer, so we might not be the best judge. Either way, the 407 Coupe has some serious presence. In fact, it’s bigger than the saloon on which it’s based. This is a coupe that can also be a family car – you can genuinely get four adults in this sucker, and they don’t have to remove their legs or heads or anything. That’s convenience for you.

Not only can it fit actual human beings in relative comfort, it’s also a damn fine mile-muncher. And that’s something you need to remember, because while it may have the looks, it’s no sports car. Crucially, it’s not trying to be one. It’s a grand tourer at heart, though that’s a fact that seemed to be lost when the car was released.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”2049″ img_size=”full” onclick=”img_link_large” css_animation=”appear”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”2048″ img_size=”full” onclick=”img_link_large” css_animation=”appear”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The 407 Coupe was built between 2006 and 2010, serving as the replacement for the rather gorgeous Pinifarina-styled 406 Coupe. The 407 incarnation wasn’t quite as delicate in its appearance, but as a car, it offered a lot more than the 406. It had more space, more comfort and a greater willingness to fill parking spaces thanks to the sheer size of it. At 4.8m in length, it’s not small.

Admittedly, 3.7m of that length is used in the gargantuan front overhang. The 407 has a chin so big it makes Quagmire look normal. But, in a weird way, it sort of works with the rest of the car. It pulls the lines further, giving 407 Coupe an extremely elegant side profile. Just try not to look at it from the front too much and you should be okay.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”2046″ img_size=”full” onclick=”img_link_large” css_animation=”appear”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On the road, the 407 Coupe is cabable, though not entirely dynamic. It’s happy to eat the miles and do so in comfort. It’s a fun car to pilot on windy, undulating roads, but anything more tight or technical and you very quickly become aware of its size. Also, while the suspension has been tightened up over that of the 407 saloon and SW, the steering remains decidedly Peugeot. It lacks feel and precision due to be over-assisted. A 205GTi this is not.

Engine wise, you have a choice. There’s a 2.2 petrol but it’s not man enough for the job. The weight of the 407 Coupe drags it back during changes, so you have to work it hard. There’s a 3.0 V6 petrol, too. It kicks the Coupe along at a decent rate thanks to 208bhp. However, it’s a thirsty sod. Mid twenties is going to be your lot. And when filling up a Micra these days still make you ponder selling the children, that’s not good.

The engine you should really go for is the 2.7 or the 3.0 V6 diesel, complete with automatic box. These two just suit the car perfectly. You get plenty of torque low down, and a nice splash of power up top. But it still brings home manageable economy. There’s also a 2.0HDI diesel too, if you’re not brave enough for the V6 options.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”2051″ img_size=”full” onclick=”img_link_large” css_animation=”appear”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”2050″ img_size=”full” onclick=”img_link_large” css_animation=”appear”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Get a 407 Coupe with high specification and you’ll be in for a treat. Your tiny budget will get you swathes of leather, sat-nav and all the electronic gadgetry you can shake a branch of Dixons at. In typical French fashion, it’s also pretty damn comfortable. Okay, so the quality of the finish is a bit meh, and the build quality can leave a little to be desired, but on the whole, it’s not bad. Plus, it’s a grand, what do you expect?

On the safety front, it was awarded five stars by crash fetishists EuroNCAP, so that’s good. Adding to the safety, the 407 Coupe also has Isofix points for your small humans. Though EuroNCAP were keen to point out their presence wasn’t entirely obvious. So if a seller says it has them, be sure it does.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_single_image image=”2054″ img_size=”full” onclick=”img_link_large” css_animation=”appear”][vc_column_text]

“Je déteste ma vie”

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/6″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]So there you go, the bargainous Peugeot 407 Coupe in all its glory. We like it, to such an extent that we’re actually considering one for our soon-to-become-massive commute. When it comes to getting a lot of car for your money, you’re going to do well with the 407 Coupe. It’s modern, it’s a bit of heat-turner, it’s safe, it’s not entirely soul-crushing to drive and it’s even practical – the back seats fold down unlike most modern coupes.

Oh, and if you’re still undecided, let us show you how you open the boot. It’s like a secret bookcase, but for your shopping. Brilliant.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_single_image image=”2053″ img_size=”full” onclick=”img_link_large” css_animation=”appear”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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