Let’s be reasonable. That red hot exotic supercar you’ve lusted after all these years is never going to happen. Finding one would be next to impossible. Keeping it on the road would be a huge risk for your financial well-being. Your significant other will never accept that sort of competition for your attention and there’s nowhere to put your pet/child/mother-in-law in it, if need be. Besides, you’d never risk driving it further than a few miles in any case, or park it outside. Luckily for you, Peugeot made the next best thing.
It kinda looks like a Ferrari, almost drives like an Aston and is just about as reliable as a Benz. Unless you’re in Western Europe, nobody will have a clue what it is, either. How exotic is that? Sure, if you get a lower-spec 4-cyl. version, performance-wise, you’re going to be a few horses short of a full cavalry regiment and have a rather sad-looking gray cloth interior, to boot. But what we have here is the top-of-the-range V6 with the rather fetching leather – not too shabby for a pedestrian Pug.
The Peugeot 406 arrived, in saloon form, in late 1995. Compared to the 405 it replaced, the 406 was just a shade bigger in every way except height – and about 300kg heavier. The platform was new, but the engines (1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 4-cyl. petrol and 1.9 or 2.1 Diesel, initially) were not. The key difference lay in the styling, which was a marked improvement, in the eyes of many, over its rather anonymous predecessor. A wagon version was necessarily going to be launched – as always with the bigger Peugeots, since the 401 way back when – but would other variants follow? The -05 series had sort of broken a long tradition of big two-door Peugeots, after all.
Failed coupes: the 505 (top left), 305 (top right) and 405 (bottom left) never made it; the flavourless 309 did
Peugeot had had a few lean years in the ‘80s, during and after the Talbot debacle. They were forced to cancel the more marginal models and focus on their core saloons and wagons. It could be argued that the 504 coupé & cabriolet, once it became available with V6 power in 1974, was a de facto two-door version of the 604. But the 305, the 505 and the 405/605 sisters never got the sharp Italian-tailored suits their predecessors did. They almost got them, but not quite. All we got in terms of hot two-door Pugs in the ‘80s was the 309 GTI, which was not exactly exciting. And the 205, which was a city car, so it doesn’t really count. It seemed the days of the big PininFarina-made Peugeot coupé died when the 504 retired in 1983.
Peugeot-Farina two-door royalty – above: 1962-68 Peugeot 404 C; below: 1969-83 Peugeot 504 C
Fortunately, the Italian designer and the French automaker were keen on ending the century on a positive note. Like the 404 and 504 coupés of old, the 406 shared none of its saloon namesake’s body panels. And like these illustrious predecessors, it would also be made in Italy by PininFarina. The car was unveiled, alongside the 406 wagon, at the 1996 Paris Motor Show and went on sale in the spring of 1997.
When the 406 Coupé came out, I remember thinking that PininFarina had done a bit of recycling again. More often than not, big Peugeots styled by PF were always callbacks to the carrozzeria’s latest hits. The 404 saloon was a re-hash of the Lancia Florida (and already re-used on BMC). The 404 C revisited the Fiat 1300 Coupé. The 604 had shades of the Fiat 130 Coupé. Take the grille off the Alfa 164 and what do you get? The Peugeot 405/605. In the 406 Coupé’s case, there was a strong whiff of the Ferrari 456, which had come out in 1992. It could have been worse. And if it’s a tradition of sorts…
Also present at that 1996 Motor Show was the 406 V6 saloon. After over 20 years of service, Peugeot was finally bidding adieu to the (in)famous PRV, as seen on the 604, the 505 and the 605 (among many, many other models by other carmakers). Co-developed with Renault, the new V6 was now a 60-degree all-alloy DOHC 24-valve design, displacing 2946 cc. The 406 Coupé was therefore one of the new V6’s launch models, though it shared that honour with several other models (Citroëns XM & Xantia, Renaults Laguna & Safrane and the last Peugeot 605s). In the initial 406 Coupé, the V6 provided 190-95 hp (numbers vary depending to the source), propelling the 1500kg car to 100kph in just under 8 seconds. A top speed of 235kph (146mph) was claimed, making it the fastest production Peugeot to date by quite a margin.
However, that didn’t make it a sports car by any stretch of the imagination – it’s more of a quiet and comfortable highway cruiser, being a FWD four-seater. To sell the 406 Coupé, Peugeot needed to appeal to the ‘90s buyers’ sense of style, back in a time when style was in short supply. That’s where PininFarina came in and really aced their part of the deal. I remember when this car was launched and how everybody raved about it. Finally, there was a Peugeot worth buying on looks alone. That hadn’t happened since, well, the 504 Coupé (launched in 1969) – but back then, there were many other options on the market. In the late ‘90s, the 406 had fewer real rivals in its price range.
406 Coupé rivals, clockwise from top left: Opel Calibra, Rover 800, Fiat Coupé, Lancia Kappa, Volvo C70, Audi TT
That is not to say that there were no good-looking European coupés back in 1997, but they were usually found in the ranges of more blue-blooded marques – Alfa Romeo, BMW, Maserati and the like. The Opel Calibra was on its way out, as was Rover’s rather forgettable 800 coupé. Audi were about to launch their TT, which was certainly distinctive, but not exactly beautiful and initially beset with issues. The Fiat Coupé was just a bit too peculiar to really catch on and the less said about the Lancia Kappa, the better. The Volvo C70 was perhaps the closest thing the 406 had as a genuine rival in almost every respect, yet the Swedish car had devotees chiefly because it was available as a soft-top – the C70 Coupé sold comparatively poorly. From 1997 to 2005, PininFarina built over 100,000 Peugeot 406 Coupés. The Calibra and the Audi TT sold better (on a more global market), but the former pretty much dates from a previous generation and the latter was a two-seater.
Compared to the 406 saloon, the coupé is of course somewhat more aggressive, but also far more sculptural. It is quite a bit wider – so much so that Peugeot had to design a rear suspension specifically for it, as it had a wider track, which gave it more substance and poise. The fatter 16-inch wheels (4-cyl. models came with 15’’ ones) also helped, in that respect.
The profile is about as well-balanced as any two-door car PininFarina ever designed. It’s all flows and gentle curves, without a straight line in the bunch. The discreet and tapered black side trim doesn’t ruin the flanks, unlike many other cars before or since, and the turn signal repeater that punctuates that line, just ahead of the door, is a great touch. And let’s not forget to mention that greenhouse. When this came out, gracefully-shaped and sloping roofs were very thin on the ground (well, a little above the ground, really). Frameless glass on the doors keeps the roofline pure and simple, but the real masterstroke is the integration of the C-pillar, with that slight flying buttress effect. Nothing short of mesmerising.
Even the lights, both front and rear, are different from the saloon’s, though in a similar vein. This is in contrast with the 504 C, whose lights were completely dissimilar to the four-door. That is not a criticism – the 504 saloon’s rear end, in particular, is an acquired taste, and the 504 C’s rear lights are delightful by comparison. But it does place the 406 a notch higher in my estimation, in that it at least tried to keep a family resemblance with the saloon, despite their many differences.
UK sales brochure, 1997
Once the 406 Coupé hit the showrooms, sales were brisk – particularly in the first few years. Our feature car is a 1998 model, which was the only year sales topped 20,000 units. The silver colour, which Peugeot referred to as “gris thallium” in France and “satellite gray” in the UK, was also the most chosen by quite a wide margin. This is probably the one thing I find really disappointing about this car. The “bleu Byzance” (a sort of Royal blue) seen in the brochure above really suits the car better in my eyes. And it would have made for better pictures, given the grayness of the day.
At least the interior’s deep “Amarante red” leather upholstery gives a bit of contrast. Automotive journalists at the time all pointed out that this is where Peugeot made their economies of scale: most of the dash is taken straight from the 406 saloon – though a touch of chrome was added around the dials and PininFarina’s signature featured prominently on the glove box, just to remind the passenger of this Pug’s Italian ancestry.
I can attest personally that the rear seats of these cars is a very nice place to be. You can put two actual living adults in there for a long trip without risk of cutting off the circulation to their legs, which is a nice change from the usual 2+2 configuration. Not that anybody ever bought these to sit in the back…
Being a Peugeot, most 406 Coupés were sold in France: about half the production stayed domestic. Over 10,000 units went to both Germany and the UK, where the more potent V6 versions were particularly praised. The 406 saloon also had a great career in those countries. Motor-wise, about a third of all 406 Coupés were ordered with a 6-cyl., like our feature car. In 2000, the V6 was given a bit of a boost (allegedly by Porsche engineers) to pass the 200 hp mark. And a year later, the 2-litre 4-cyl. was replaced by a 158 hp 2.2 litre that, for some reason, was only available with a manual transmission – automatic 4-cyl. cars kept the 2-litre engine. Also in 2001, the 406 Coupé became available with the new 2.2 litre HDi that Peugeot had developed for the 607 – only 136 hp, but far less thirsty than the V6, it was a hit on the Diesel-obsessed domestic market.
If nothing else, the 406 Coupé’s success rekindled its maker’s interest in high-end coupés. Which is a good thing. However, the follow-up to this car was, with impeccable Cartesian logic, the 407 Coupé, made from 2006 to 2011. Which was a bad thing. It was not a terrible car per se, but just nowhere near as well executed as its predecessor. PininFarina weren’t involved with the 407 and it seems that Peugeot are no longer calling on their services, after a half-century of collaboration. Nowadays, the big Peugeot is the 508 and it comes as a saloon, a wagon and a CUV. But not as a coupé. As CC’s own Roger Carr put it in his post about the 406 Coupé (link below) a few years ago, it really was the last of an elegant line.
Related posts:
Curbside Classic: Peugeot 406 Coupe: The Last Of An Elegant Line, by Roger Carr
Yeah, I wouldn’t say it was a sporty car.
It was the European version of what multiple American carmakers did in the 70s with personal luxury cars – a normal midsize car turned into a more stylish alternative.
Quite a nice looking 2-door and, indeed, is indicative of the times. Imagine if this is what the third gen, 1995 Chevy Cavalier coupe had turned out to have been.
Except they handle far better than anything produced in the US, dont challenge a good driver in a 406 on a twisty road in a ‘sporty BMW’ you’ll look like a fool.
Bryce, is that you?
I don’t believe I ever said it was a “sporty car”. It’s a relatively big, comfortable, well-balanced FWD four-seater GT, with more than enough power to go up the Alps and down to the Cote d’Azur in a handful of hours. It’s more like a Citroen SM than anything else.
Never having seen one here in the US, I’m surprised at the ongoing love the 406 gets here on CC. Looks nice but frankly generic ‘90’s to me. I’d take the Audi TT (though to me it’s a different class of car) over the 406 anytime. The 504 coupe and convertible were never sold here either, but the shape, proportions, and detailing of those … oh my, perfection.
Yeah, they look sort of nice, when new, but they will leave you stranded at least twice a week, while slowly falling apart.
Which car are you dissing, the Peugeot 504, the 406 or the Audi TT?
I’m afraid that on the African continent they have a slightly different opinion about the built quality of Peugeot.
It’s svelte, lithe and has a charisma that comes across much better in real life than in pictures with a minimalist exterior design that relies on almost no accent pieces and just lets the sculpted metal do the talking. Having seen a few over the heads it is head turning and extremely attractive.
And the red interior is the icing on the cake. Or maybe the red interior IS the cake, I don’t know but I do know they I like it and thanks for this find.
Is the purple Picasso up next? One of these cars is art and one is just named after an artist…
It’s a Renault Scenic, not a Citroen Xsara Picasso.
Ah, I see. Alright, one of the cars is scenic and other is merely named Scenic…
A common cheap beater around my parts.
A Polish equivalent of something like an older Mopar minivan in America – it’s cheap and probably quite junky by now, but does the job practically.
Don’t underrate it – I rode in a Scenic taxi in Riga with 360,000 km on it.
I find it much more timeless than the Ferraris of the same era. The minimalist design probably.
Minor detail – you quote a 1000kg weight, but the V6 Coupe tipped the scales at around 1500kg.
I’ve never actually peeked inside one of these, and your photos do make the interior look very inviting.
Oops! Thanks for catching that. Fixed.
Quote: ” I remember thinking that PininFarina had done a bit of recycling again.”
Now that`s understatement! Pininfarina is such a triple-use recycler, it’s a shame.
Not previously familiar with the car but just one look said “Oldsmobile Alero Coupe” to me – something I rented several times back when.
Beautiful. Like a more refined, more mature Mazda MX6. And that interior is very inviting. I can’t remember the last time I noticed pop-out rear quarter windows in a coupe either. Love it.
Nice cars, I had a wagon manual with the 2.1 turbo diesel which was the diesel option in place of the 2.0 turbo petrol four, performance was similar the all alloy 2.2 diesel is very rare here if it arrived at all, I did look at buying one of these coupes in V6 manual but it was cheap a little too cheap and there were obvious problems like two broken lights, they arent easy to get from junkyards and new is a 3 week wait for delivery from France and a 2nd mortgage, it also would not start which could be anything so no thanks the drive in a 406 is sublime they handle beautifully passive rear steer excellent suspension and brilliant roadholding my current Citroen is built on the same platform but minus the steel springs.
My 98 Volvo C70 coupe also had manual pop-out rear quarter windows. Very hard to operate unless you climbed in back, so I hardly ever used them. My earlier 86 Mazda 626 GT had power rear quarter windows which I used often. It also had the beloved oscillating center vents too!
I think the 406 looks great and reminds me of the C70 Coupe from the same era. The Volvo had to use a fair amount of existing architecture but overall Volvo and TWR did a nice job.
The 406 is starting to get to the 25-year import window so it would be nice to see one. I actually bought a yellow diecast model of the 406 years ago because I liked the looks of it. I think silver in this case doesn’t help it too much.
A friend of mine bought a used one on a whim in early oughts, ferrari red with black interior. I’d driven it a few times before it was stolen a few months later. Good thing it was insured.
Anyway, this car is absolutely stunning in real life, photos don’t do it much justice. Very gentle and light appearance, I’d say cat-like presence. It was a head turner too. People wanted to race him all the time.
A series 1 in Galileo green with a Sahara tan interior is definitely one of the best looking cars ever, jaw dropping old-money chique.
One of those cars in which you offend nobody but bad taste, looks good everywhere, like a Series 1 Range Rover.
And today they hit rock bottom proces but if I have to put my money on future classics I’d say this and the FIAT Coupé.
I was mesmerized when I first approached a royal blue 406 C from the rear – it was those slight flying buttresses that grabbed my attention. I rarely take pics, but I got out my disposable 35mm and snapped a couple pics, thinking of my best friend from high school who’s dad only drove Peugeots. Funny how I remember that car encounter so well, a cloudy November day, fallen autumn leaves all around, the car was parked in a lot by a Church nearly by itself, close to a river, but I can’t remember if I was in Germany, Italy or possibly France!
The good thing about these is that the quality is very good as well. I bought one in 2012 with the redesigned for 2000 4 cylinder 2.0L engine. I still own it, it turns 20 years old this year. 360k km on the odometer (I bought it with 167k) and other than (cheap) regular maintenance there are very little costs. To be honest, it has gotten more little issues in the last few years, but they can be mended easily.
I’ve driven it 1500 km in just the last 3 days. No issue. It is a bit underpowered on the German Autobahn though.
I too have the purple-ish red leather interior.
This is a few days ago, covered in salt. There is no rust.
I remember salivating around a 406 Coupe in Pulsar Yellow with on Storm Black leather interior and a V6 in the summer of 1997 in Kiev, just prior to moving to Canada. Wow! What a design!
Looking at the brochure in the post I can’t believe how bad the fuel economy was (17.2 l/100 km in the city)! My 3-litre Vulcan Taurus had a better economy, but less power.
I’ve scrolled through the photos a number of times, and it has only just hit me, looking at the rear end shot of the 504 Coupe, that they have recycled that tail-light treatment for their current range.
I need to see more of that 305 coupe prototype! The others, however, look forgettable.
The 406 Coupe is a looker alright. They were sold in Australia but I can’t remember the last time I ever saw one.
The sedan was a looker itself. Even after its mid-cycle facelift. I think that even made it look better, highly unusual for a MCE.
The 407 Coupe that replaced this definitely wasn’t a beauty but it was… fascinating. I was even tempted to buy one at one point. Used, of course.
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/cc-capsule/curbside-capsule-2006-10-peugeot-407-coupe-polarizing-pug/
Certainly a rare sight in AU. I’ve admired a burgundy example parked near the rugby stadium in Canberra a couple of times (Go Brumbies)
Yes, the 305 looks like a mini Fiat 130 in that shot, so rather nice then.
The 407 Coupe should not be mentioned in the same breath as the 406, in fact, no breath should ever be expended on it unless in the fainting. I have long surmised that a long and very liquid lunch preceded the application of scalpel to the clay by some vain and embittered stylist at Peugeot who had sat staring at the fine work of Pininfarina before realizing that, as he had no hope of exceeding it, he decided to be parodic by bringing the front wheels back (which gave it a schnoz only slightly lesser than De Gaulle’s), putting fish gills on, and fronting the haughty Peugeot frowny eyes with the the grin of Wallace from Aardman Animations. As he was most senior, having risen by virtue of his mediocrity in the best tradition of corporations, no-one was game to name the horror, to call out to the naked emporer the next day, and as he was too vain to admit to his inebriated folly, they built it.
To be clear, I should add that I don’t think the 407 coupe looks terribly good.
Pretty, very pretty. They were sold here in New Zealand too, I remember the local motor-noters were quite enamoured with them. I’ve seen a few over the years, and the design is rather sublime in the metal – with some very subtle but very nice detailing. I’ve never seen the Amarante red interior before, but it looks delicious enough to eat! Bizarrely, I’ve never noticed the flying buttresses until you mentioned them!!
I will allow that the beauty of the design is never really captured in photos, which means that from afar, it could be dismissed as a GM blobby from the era, but in the metal, it is as good as Dr T here is suggesting. Ferrari got the short end of the Pinin pen too, because it looks substantially nicer than the F456 – a car which really is unexciting in the metal.
There is a niggle, though, driven no doubt by cost. It’s not truly pillarless, despite fudges and frameless glass and emblackenings, and the final delicacy that pillarlessness brings is duly noticed.
Here they were most pricey, and all automatic, and the latter is important. For more years than was remotely decent, all French manufacturers fitted the same appalling auto box to everything, the DPO or AL4, which was made entirely of rubber bands inside, lasted as long a that implies, and before dying in childhood – not even youth – it had tortured the owner with irrelevant and capricious demands about forward motion that it had invented all by itself and that had nothing to do with what was happening on the road. And when expired and bleeding, it demanded $5000 in posh hospital fees to consider working again. This all meant that a gorgeous-looking, sweet-handling thing that required guts to buy in the first place – depreciation being of the your-notes-are-all-instantly-on-fire type – was a bit ruined in driving, and infuriating over any longer term.
If someone had recently replaced the auto and updated the miserable programming of it, I’d still consider one now, mind you. On the days it was old and refusing me, I could still just sit and stare.
Had a manual 4cylinder job with fabric interior, nothing exciting about it on the road or inside. But seeing the plush red leather in the V6 makes me drool. The 504 was the car to have in the 70’s in Srilanka.