Peugeot 407 Coupe Review | How it Drove
Published: 18th November 2007
Peugeot 407 Coupe
As one might expect from Peugeot the 2720cc V6 HDi diesel engine is excellent, it develops 205bhp at 4000rpm and torque of 330 lb ft at 1900rpm. Out of interest you may be surprised to learn that the 2.7 V6 HDi power plant is also used by Jaguar and Land Rover.
It did not really matter where you were in the rev band it was always rewarding and responsive, only off the line is there a slight pause whilst the turbo chargers spin up. Sure it is not the fastest Coupe on the road but with a 0-62 mph time of 8.5 seconds and a top speed of 143 mph, it is quite respectable, especially considering it is diesel powered.
Audibly the diesel engine is hardly what you would as describe noisy, in fact far from it - it is very refined.
How It Drove - Ride/Handling
Our preconception was that the Coupe was a Peugeot 407 Saloon with two less doors and that the handling would be pretty much the same. Oh - how wrong we were - grip is simply phenomenal; the ‘continuous’ variable hydraulic power assisted steering is fairly direct and well weighted. The handling is safe and predictable making the Coupe suited to all but the most enthusiastic of drivers who might argue that the Coupe is more of a Grand Tourer than an out and out Sporting Coupe, which is possibly true but this shouldn’t shadow the Coupe’s potential to thrill.
Over a well tested stretch of Devon ‘B’ roads we were left impressed with the Peugeot 407 Coupe’s ability to entertain yet remain composed even through the most demanding of ‘S’ bends.
The V6 HDi model that we tested is fitted with the Peugeot’s AMVAR electronically-controlled suspension. Shock absorption is therefore variable and each damper is controlled independently. A wheel travel sensor controls each wheel in accordance with 9 damping settings, with changes possible every 2.5 milliseconds. Damping control software means that progression to firmer settings occurs quickly to achieve improved control of pitch, bounce and roll movements under all driving conditions. Should the normal mode not be up to the job you can push a button on the central console to place the suspension into ‘Sports’ mode which noticeably stiffens the damping settings and improves the handling.
