PEUGEOT 407 test drive since 2004 sedan

407th measurement

From an extravagant car, the world is seen by another
 
Peugeot with the creative is all right: the company decided not to launch the 407th model on the moon and not to drown in the ocean (oh, this is so fashionable now!). And he offers just rushing in a new one, from a needle, a car on earthly roads and pay attention to - how much the car is able to change the idea of \u200b\u200bthe world around him. This is what the advertising shields are said that Paris is hung today. And the creators of Peugeot 407 promise that, having looked at the car only briefly, a person will certainly want to consider it properly. And if this person gets inside, then he will never want to leave the salon - so comfortable in it, but he wants to look at everything around his crystally transparent glass. I had no choice but to confirm or refute the theory by practice. Therefore, I sent a city to the city, and immediately left for Portugal, where a test drive took place.
 
Style - to the masses!
 
The large -scale model is not at all obligated to resemble a soap dish and may look at least a million dollars, even if it costs ten thousand. With its fresh model line, Peugeot, in my opinion, brilliantly proves the reality of this idea. 206th - a real bestseller, then - 307th. How many times I have heard an uncomplicated, but somewhat correct definition of cool cars! And what will they say about the 407th? This is still a large and serious car. Compared to the predecessor, Peugeot 406, the car added 76 mm in length, 46 mm wide, and grew by 55 mm.
 
I must admit that any photographs will not be able to convey all the designer delights that you notice when you encounter a living copy. The exterior is impressive. This is a sculpture in motion - the designers themselves say. Perhaps. And I suddenly remembered the cool episode from the film people in black, in which the cosmic cockroach pulled his face - is it better? The massive front lighting technology (eyes widened almost to the ears) as if flattened by a strong air stream - so much that it swam on the wings. A huge air intake (his mouth became a mouth) makes you remember about sportsmen. But in general, the swiftness of the model is conveyed perfectly. A long nose shifted back, laconic, even at the sedan, food. Moreover, the back is worked out no less carefully - an unusual optics and a small spoiler in the lid of the trunk give it the same expressiveness and make the general appearance quite logical and finished.
 
I am loved!
 
This is the first thought that came to my mind, as soon as I climbed into the salon. The feeling of comfort comes somehow right away, it is worth it in the soft, but with good side support, the seat. True, I began acquaintance with the model with one of the most expensive versions - with a 3 -liter engine, automatic and in Sport Pack.
 
The next sensation, which, however, soon disappeared: the torpedo is too far, and the steering wheel, on the contrary, is too close. Yes, even below is unusually spacious - the right leg does not hurt behind the central console. In fact, with ergonomics, Peugeot 407 is in perfect order, you just need to get used to it. Nice to the touch, the skin sheathed with leather is adjustable both in height and in departure. Two small joysticks on the steering column allow you to control the music center and cruise control. The instrument shield is white - a corporate difference between Sport versions. It somewhat reminiscent of the one that is installed in the flagship 607th: five round dials are informed about the amount of engine speed, speed, temperature of the motor and oil, and the supply of fuel. The small scoreboard, placed right there, before the eyes, gives additional information - about the mileage, the number of kilometers that you can drive on the remaining fuel and others that the driver will want to request from the on -board computer.
 
An impressive central console has - I specially counted - 53 buttons and 3 round joysticks. Despite understandable icons, it is better to immediately take the instructions and figure out what's what. Although a large color screen in the upper part of the console will show the result of any manipulation with joysticks or buttons. Here, all the necessary and unnecessary information is displayed, from the operating mode of the climatic installation to the detailed map of the area (if the car is equipped with a navigation system). Thanks to such clarity, the learning process becomes pleasant, because of which I almost last left the parking lot. Well, how not to adjust the sound of the Hi-Fi system from the JBL system, or not to convert shock absorbers into Sport mode with a simple key press? It is funny, by the way, that the JBL Music Center with ten columns and a 240-watt amplifier does not give its owner the opportunity to independently adjust high or low frequencies, he can only choose one of the six equalizer settings: Standard, Rock, Pop, Disco, Techno and Vocal. Probably, for the car system, this is really the best option, in any case - the sound is powerful and pure. You can insert your own SIM card in a small slot on the central console and use the phone, and the red button with the inscription SOS will allow you to quickly call help if it is required.
 
Speaking about the climate inside, as an unchanged component of comfort, it is worth noting that the electronic system of separate climate control has a number of interesting features. For example, the central deflectors are located in the upper part of the torpedo and blow in the windshield or in the ceiling, but not in the face - there is less chance of catching a cold when the air conditioner works at full power. In addition, electronics constantly monitors the level of humidity and prevents fogging of glasses during rain. I’m not talking about such things as a special computer comparing the temperature and air quality inside and outside, and automatically determines whether to ventilate the interior and whether it is time to use a coal filter that does not pass the smallest pollen.
 
The rear passengers should also feel care: there are plenty of legs. The trunk is quite capacious - its volume is 407 liters, and if you fold the rear seat completely or in parts, then you can transport a small motorcycle. What else did I miss when talking about the salon? Safety: nine pillows, including a special, located under the steering column and designed to protect the knees in case of impact. Fortunately, it was not brought to check their effectiveness, although once my colleague and I were close to this.
 
Races in the siesta
 
As usual: we leave the airport and get to the motorway. And on the afternoon in the afternoon, I ask you to notice, Portuguese siesta - there are fewer cars than in Moscow for May holidays. How not to check the most powerful engine offered on the PEUGEOT 407 - a 6 -cylinder, with a volume of 3.0 liters and a capacity of 211 liters. With. In pairs (and only in pairs) with a new automatic Porsche Tiptronic System gearbox, he disperses the car confidently and quickly. Moreover, without unnecessary noise, which makes you involuntarily recall Mercedes. Only at high speeds, a pleasant bass rumble begins to penetrate the salon. Aerodynamic noises are absent at any speed. And already after the first ten kilometers you notice another remarkable feature of the character of the car - it stands perfectly on the highway, as if without reacting at all to the side wind, and confidently keeps the given course, even if the road loopes.
 
I had no complaints about the 6-speed automatic transmission on the highway, which, when the accelerator is sharply pressed, honestly encloses a reduced gear, and with intense acceleration, it removes the motor to maximum speeds. At the same time - no jerks, the process of transition from one stage to another occurs quickly and clearly. The machine is not only adapting to driving style, it still has sports and winter modes activated by pressing the corresponding keys near the lever. You can manually move from one program to another, but now, on the auto, this is not relevant. It is much more important that on the speedometer 220 km/h, and inside is quiet and homely calm. In such a car you can drive more than one hundred kilometers without feeling fatigue. But the highway ended, and we are moving on a winding path.
 
That's where I lacked the possibilities of automatic transmission a little. With a sharp gas supply, electronics are slightly, but hesitated with the transition to a low gear. The sports regime corrected the situation only in part. By the way - Porsche in the name does not mean at all that the German automaker created this automatic transmission for Peugeot. Just the Tiptronic manual shift mechanism is patented by the eminent company. You can manually move from one step to another, for which it is necessary to shift the lever to the left and push it up/down. This significantly reduces the thoughtfulness of the box, and on a winding road, I, in the end, only used this regime, enjoying the absolutely predicted behavior of the machine.
 
First of all: the steering is in the best way. At low speeds, the force on the steering wheel is minimal, which facilitates parking or lazy movement in a dense city stream. But it is worth gaining speed, as an electric amplifier will sharply reduce its intervention and ensure a wonderful steering wheel.
 
Suspensions are a special story. PEUGEOT was almost the first to refuse the MacPherson suspension familiar to the front -wheel drive car. In front, double levers are installed that can be found, for example, on BMW or Mercedes. Of course, the design is slightly different, but it is borrowed, according to engineers, from the world of motorsport. It is for this reason that 407 is so excellently holding the canvas even in the most tense turns. In addition, at the first tested car, it was possible to change the stiffness of shock absorbers by clicking on the Sport button on the central console. Although in this case, the level of comfort is significantly reduced, and the irregularities of the coating begin to be transmitted in its entirety, but the cranes of the body disappear, and the feeling of the car increases. And now you are rushing, headlong
 
Frankly, I was so carried away that I was almost in an unpleasant situation. After the bunch of turns, making sure of the capabilities of the car, at the exit from the turn, as usual, he pressed on the gas. Ahead - a small rise, which, according to my minds, should end smoothly - in any case, I did not seem to notice any warning signs. But in fact, immediately the rise was followed by a sharp descent and a rather steep right turn. On the rise, the body almost took off - the speed under 180 (a strict and public warning from the chief editor!), And I had to sharply put on the brakes, otherwise there was no way to fit into the steep turn. The colleague on the right somehow grunted and gave out an irrelevant phrase, in which there was an extreme discontent by me and admiration for Peugeot engineers who were engaged in the configuration of the brake system. Thanks to the most powerful calipers, the system of distribution of brake efforts, help with emergency slowing down and standardly installed by the ABS, the same twenty to thirty saving meters was enough not to meet the huge garbage truck riding and safely complete the turn with a small screech of rubber.
 
What was especially struck: even in a critical situation, none of the wheels lost the clutch with the road. It seemed that the tires stuck to the asphalt. And what do you think? It puzzled me until it was not possible to tear the car in sliding in one of the turns. This unnecessary proof of the justice of the laws of physics of special joy, however, did not bring. No, there are no problems with stabilization - the main thing is to act quickly by the steering wheel, based on the features of the front -wheel drive. In addition, the latest generation ESP is always guarded, which allows some liberties. I had a feeling that Peugeot 407 knows better the driver knows - when you should moderate the driver, I want to go quickly on it, but I don’t want to lose the clutch with the road at all. Be that as it may, but the time has come to change the car.
 
Less - does not mean weaker
 
Do you think, after racing on a 3-liter version, a car with a 2.2-liter engine is not able to impress? In vain! But for starters - a few words about the design of the salon. The dials are no longer white, but black, on the central console there are only 36 buttons and two joysticks, and instead of a large color display, a small screen of an on -board computer. The leather finish gave way to fabric, electrical adjustments - mechanical. But what is characteristic: inside it did not become less comfortable. Seats are still convenient, despite the lack of lumbar support. The music center is not JBL, but it sounds decent. Automatic checkpoint gave way to new mechanical, 6-speed, which provides very good running qualities. By the way, this box will only be placed on the Peugeot 407 with a 2.2 liter engine. For other versions, either a 5-speed mechanics or a 4-speed machine is proposed.
 
In general, a car with a 4-cylinder engine with a capacity of 158 liters. With. I liked even more than the more powerful Peugeot 407. In terms of acceleration dynamics, it is not inferior to too much, but the hanging along the axes, due to the lighter power unit, it makes the car even more predicted and controlled. Despite the fact that Peugeot 2.2 does not have a sports regime for pendants, in turns, he behaves no worse than his fellow with V6. Sliding occurs even later, and it is easier to control them. Of course, the bodies of the body are slightly more noticeable, but comfort, even on the beaten roads, is higher praise.
 
The only remark is the lever of a mechanical gearbox that suffers from a little slobbery. It's funny, but it managed to become a almost branded feature of the majority of Peugeot, and on the other hand, there are no problems with the inclusion of the desired speed. Actually, the power unit, equipped with a system for changing the phases of gas distribution, provides the necessary capture in a wide range of revolutions. My will, so I would ask engineers to work on the melody of the motor. Although I agree that for such a car this is not the most important thing, its price is much more important.
 
Plans and competitors
 
Almost the entire Gamma of Peugeot 407 will be proposed to the Russian buyer, with the exception of versions with diesel engines. Four gasoline engines are 1.8; 2.0; 2.2 and 3.0 liters. I happened to try only the last two, so I can only promise to test less powerful cars when they find themselves in Russia. In the meantime, I note that the French company expects to significantly revive the market of medium -sized cars, and in 2005 to implement around 300 thousand Peugeot 407 in 2005. Most will have to Europe, only 60,000 cars are exported outside the European Union.
 
Competitors have more than enough competitors - Volkswagen Passat, Toyota Avensis, Honda Accord, Nissan Primera, Alfa Romeo 156, Audi A4, Mazda 6 and Opel Vectra. Therefore, the market success of the model will largely depend on the price. But just with this, everything is not yet clear. The cost of Peugeot 407 in the salons of Russian dealers can be talked at the earliest in late June, when the reader will already have this newspaper number. Based on European prices, I can only - very approximately! - To assume that Peugeot 407 will be offered to customers for at least $ 19,500. This is the basic version of the car, with a 1.8 -liter engine.
 
Andrey Osipov
 

Source: Newspaper "Automobile Izvestia" [No. 12 (58), 2004]