PEUGEOT 407 test drive since 2004 sedan

Coffee ... a glass of liquor ... a cigar!

So he spoke of a worthy reward for a difficult and well done work by the hero of Belmondo in one old film thirty years ago. So the new French coupe will provide the maximum level of comfort to the aging superman.
 



We're the same blood
What a gorgeous lazy, lamb manner! I press the gas pedal, but the three-liter V-shaped six under the hood and does not think to instantly tear the car from the place. At first, a pause follows a certain fraction of a second, as if a Bagire stretched out in the sun opens one eye: what do you want, human cub? And only after that the avalanche of torque begins to grow uncontrollably, the powerful force picks me up, and after another second we rush forward. What, the tanned BMW wants to laugh at us from head to toe? Now I will show this sherkhan!
 

It happens to understand a new car, there is not enough week. The character of 407-kup was revealed immediately, at first glance, from the first kilometer. Yes, you just look at this glossy black beast. The open in the eerie toothy smirk black mouth of the radiator grille, aggressive gills on the sides of the bumper, predatory squinted blades of the headlights. And at the same time, a very calm, even rather soft silhouette, smoothly falling the roof line in the style of the late 80s of the early 90s, textured, magnificent feed. With all my appearance, this car seems to say: yes, I can be sharp, fast, explosive. But by nature I am completely different ... The French seem to have achieved just such an impression. Even when the car is motionless, designer Peugeot Philip Bekretai said about his work, it feels the power, swiftness and willingness to absorb kilometers. Notice? In the first place power. And not a word about uncompromising sports.

I like this approach. Nevertheless, I have already come out of youth, rush along the streets of the capital, as announced, I don’t really want to. And from the side of the driver's door, the compartment looks so solid.
 
Traditions - 108 years

The first Peugeot Cope, model 21, made his debut at the 1898 Paris Motor Show. Since then, dozens of cars with such a body have seen the light. Most of them were not just 2-door options for serial sedans, but were distinguished by technical or stylistic frills. This was 301 cups with an independent suspension, 12-6 with an amazingly quiet 6-cylinder engine, an aerodynamic 601 cup. Since the 60s, three generations of the coupe designed Italian Pinfarin for Peugeot. But the heiress of the last of them, 406-cup, was its own development, created under the guidance of Gerard Velter on the chassis of the sedan 407.




How do I get to the library?
By the way, it will not be possible to open this very door. Wide and heavy (three massive arrangements of high-strength steel, located inside for greater body rigidity), like a royal castle’s tough, it opens slowly and solemnly about this. Well, behind the wheel! Just do not forget to bend your head, otherwise, be sure to apply to the very place where, as the creators of the machine, the windshield installed at a large angle, passes into the clearly defined roof line.
 

What is it, am I really mistaken? The dense rollers of the side support of the seat pillow so unexpectedly grabbed the hips, as if I had sat in a real racing chair. By the way, the pillow was specially designed for the compartment. But, running ahead, I’ll say that after a few tens of kilometers you get used to her close hugs and no longer pay attention to them. The rest of the seat is wonderful primarily wonderful. Compared to the sedan of the 407th model, it is installed 20 mm lower and 9 mm further from the steering wheel. Planting can be selected exactly according to the figure and the electric drives of the pillows, backs, lumbar stops, a steering column and wide adjustment ranges will take care of this. The vertical is 50 mm, and the longitudinal 240 mm.
 
     

Chairs and original (the French believe that it should resemble dials of the Swiss watches) The background of the dashboard here is all the external differences in the interior of the front of the cabin from the usual 407th. But behind everything is completely different.
   
  
Stylish dashboard background is almost the only difference between the interior compartment from sedans of the 407th model
 
Parktronics of this machine is necessary from the driver's seat of the hood of the hood, and backward is the visibility


It is enough to move the plastic handle in the end of the front seat, and the back will turn out, and the electric drive, the buzz, will push the chair forward to the stop, opening access to the cozy leather apartments. Neither let the late leather chairs in the library of the owner of the country estate, where, after dinner, the quantons are served cognac and cigars.
 

True, only passengers up to 180 cm taller can travel here with comfort here and long distances, even more tall people in the legs, in general, is enough, with an increase of 185 cm, it settled down without problems. However, the crown rested exactly in the rear window. So you can only ride on perfectly flat asphalt.
 

And such as you yourself understand, there are not so many in Russia. But, curious, for a sophisticated French, the capital and even suburban directions have not been ordered at all.
 



Press the button ...
... and nothing happens. I wanted to make a softer suspension installed by someone from previous drivers in sport mode. Yes, all compartment with 6-cylinder engines are equipped with the latest version of the electronic suspension control system. Using vertical movement sensors, you can separately control each wheel in accordance with the 9th algorithms for the operation of shock absorbers. Moreover, electronics can change these same algorithms 400 times per second.
 

Impressive? Me too. However, do not think that the 407-wrapping of the suspension at your request will be imposingly soft or sports-tolerant. Not at all. It is constantly quite rigid, dense, not allowing the body to roll, providing the highest speed in the turns even on an uneven road. So it is on poor coating, at high speed or with full loading you can press a button with a shock absorber symbol to make a suspension a little more rigid and collected.
 

You will definitely try to do this. Because what, what, and this car loves high speed. But most importantly, at the same time does not bother his master. Press the gas pedal, and a 6-speed automatic, thinking for a split second and determining by the sharpness of your handling of what exactly you want from it, will send almost three hundred Newtonometers to the front wheels. However, you can choose the sports style of the box of the pause in its reactions will be more inconspicuous. Or even establish a manual mode.
 

In any case, the pleasure of driving is provided to you. Of course, it could be fully tested on narrow serpentines somewhere in the vicinity of Monte Carlo or Sardinia. However, I assure you, familiar turns of the near Moscow with potholes, cracks, traces of the life of collective farm tractor drivers who have merged very liquid fertilizers in the spring fields caught here and there, caused me a sense of deep respect for this Peugeot. How wonderful he keeps the road, as a string rushes at speeds under two hundred, how obediently he performs all my teams. I recommend. Such a car cannot but like it.
 



Goodbye, love, it happened ...
I'm only afraid that I will adore it at a distance. Yes, the car is wonderful fast, but not at all as hard, as one might assume, obedient and comfortable, and also solid and representative. After all, he also has a trunk of an impressive volume, and the rear seats fold separately at least skis, at least sled, at least carry bicycles.
 

Flaws? Yes, nonsense, really. The overhangs are already very large: the front is 55, and the rear is 85 mm longer than that of the sedan 407. With certain lighting in a huge windshield, the front panel is reflected. And also, trying to find out if there are cars on the road adjacent to the left, I put my forehead on the front on the front rack. And, of course, visibility back leaves much to be desired. And I don't really like the black color. In combination with the black skin of the salon, he evokes thoughts about the deputies of the State Duma. Better gold or blue Montebello would be much more suitable for such a peugeot, and the seats would be better to stick a llama with light skin or cherry Cerberus. But aren't all these little things?
 

All but one price. Even with a 2.2-liter engine of 160 liters. p., a mechanical gearbox, a fabric salon and on a regular 407-cuper suspension costs $ 37,500. And a top version with a V-shaped six and automatically pulls fifty thousand. Exactly ten thousand more than 406 cups. Are you ready to pay such an amount for a French car? If so, I congratulate you. To decide on this, going against the general opinion that only German cars can be expensive and prestigious, only a person who is unshakably confident in himself can be. Like the heroes of Belmondo, for example. Alas, only age is related to them ...
     
Four options

For 1 048 700 rub. You can buy a 160-horsepower 407-wrapper in the basic version with ABS, ESP, cruise and 2-zone climate control, rear parking sensors, 7 pillows, rain sensors, lighting and tire pressure, xenon, anterior heating, CDs, CD -Magnitol, 17-inch cast discs, fabric salon and manual transmission. A more generously equipped version of PAK for 127,800 rubles. More expensive and richer in front parking, alarm, electrical regulation of driver's seat and memory steering, adaptive headlights and a leather interior. The most expensive three -liter version is distinguished by an electronic suspension control system and costs 1,355,000 with a manual transmission and 1,400,000 rubles. With a machine gun.
 
PER

Rich equipment, impressive dynamics, excellent handling, comfortable for the coupe back row of seats
AGAINST

Poor visibility, high price, low clearance, large overhangs
 
Peugeot 407 COPE 3.0 A/T (2.2 m/t)

common data
 
Body (number of places/doors)
coupe (4/2)
 
Equipped mass, kg
1612 (1525)
 
Length x width x height, mm
4815x1868x1399
 
Base, mm
2725
 
Trunk volume (standard VDA), l
400
 
Acceleration time 0100 km/h, with
8.9 (9.2)
 
Speed, km/h
235 (222)
 
Fuel consumption, l/100 km
7.3/15 (6.9/13.1)
 
Fuel tank capacity, l
66
 

Engine
 
Working volume, SMZ
2946 (2230)
 
Power, L.S. at rpm
211/6000 (160/5875)
 
Torque, kgsm at rpm
29.6/3750 (22.4/4150)
 

Chassis
 
Drive unit
On the front wheels
 
Transmission
6-st. automatic (mechanical)
 
Suspension
Independent, spring, Co stabilizers of anti -resistance stability
 
front
Type McEzerson
 
behind
Mollycent
 
Steering
rhealenic type with hydraulic power steering (electro -hydraulic power)
 
Brakes
disk, in front ventilated
 
Tires
235/45 R18 (215/55 R17)
 

Car
from 0.31 $/km
 
Alexander Melnik, photo of Maxim Goncharov
 
 

Source: Magazine buy a car [09/2006]