Coup¯¿½ fans know a good shape when they see one. They don't have to measure it, or walk around it, head at stupid angle, clucking. Like Peugeot's 406 Coup¯¿½, for instance. A car that looked like it was sketched by an Italian designer on the day before his wedding. And maybe was, seeing as Peugeot passed the job over to Michelangelo's direct descendents at Pininfarina.
This time though, the French maker has kept the job dans la maison. And conclusively demonstrated that if you want perfect pizza, pasta or performance plumage, you should leave it to Italy. Get that tape measure out, crank your head sideways and take a long hard look... like the bastard offspring of George Clooney and Vicky Pollard, there's something slightly amiss with the Peugeot 407 Coup¯¿½.
Where's the error then?
Perhaps it's to do with those body overhangs. Both front and back, the metalwork beyond the axles looks excessive. And the rump doesn't help - too hefty, prompting a word association to strike terror into the heart of any Peugeot dealer: Ford Probe. Granted, those mock gills add a touch of shark, but a shark with a passion for pies, nonetheless. This is a veritable layer cake of shame. For a start, this model, powered by Ford's (and Jaguar's) stonking 2.7-litre is the likely top seller against the two petrol alternatives, so it might make coup¯¿½ history. While the diesel in the 406 was an afterthought, this is the mainstay model.
So what are the plusses?
Overlooking cosmetic quibbles, this 407 marks a new chapter for Peugeot in terms of manicured finesse. Check the bodywork's shut-lines, tighter than Gordon Brown's wallet. Inside, it gets better still. You can't buy a diesel in anything lower than SE trim, but the cabin is leathered to the eyeballs. Comparison with Maserati is credible. From the unique-design bucket seats (which are considerably more comfortable than buckets), down to the oversize stitching around the instrument cowl and door panels, this is one Peugeot that could out-smart a Merc.
Not to die for then, but to drive for?
Be prepared for a pleasant shock. How good? Slide this baby up to licence-losing speeds and it's nothing but serene - no hiss, no whistle, no engine or tyre thrum, just the gently hum of the peachy V6, quietly doing its job. And I don't mean just quiet, I mean Lexus quiet. As for the steering, wait till you get a grip - nicely weighted, never stodgy, never limp. Stretch the 407 Coup¯¿½'s 205bhp legs over a country road and it's staggeringly eager and capable, the only real omission being a paddle shift to the half-dozen (auto-only) gears.
So what'll it cost me?
Well, this 2.7-litre leopard is not only more refined than the petrol options, it performs tangibly better, notching 62mph in 8.5, which is more than half a second ahead of the 2.2 petrol and 0.2 seconds more quickly than the auto-powered 3.0 V6 petrol. On a full tank, Peugeot claims 33.2mpg in all, which is nothing newsworthy but, again, comfortably ahead of even the smaller petrol option. The addition of Peugeot's much-vaunted anti-particulate filter ensures CO2 emissions are checked at 226g per kilometre, though this tally drops the car into the highest tax band, group F.
And residual value?
Promising. While the predecessor sold 2,700 examples in the UK at its peak, for the first two years at least supplies will be restricted to 2,500. So it's not going to be a common sight on British roads. The car's price might also guarantee rarity: starting at ¯¿½29,200 for the SE and a lofty ¯¿½30,900 for the GT, no entry-level 'S' being available in diesel, at least for now.
Will I be comfy inside?
Kit is generous safety-wise, including no fewer than seven airbags and an electronic stability programme to counter under- and over-steer, while that leather interior is standard, too, along with a powerful JBL stereo, CD player, alloys, toasty seats, cruise control, front fogs and a two-zone climate system. For metallic paint, though, you'll need another ¯¿½350 and only the GT gets the colour sat nav system - for the SE it'll cost you ¯¿½1,350.
In all then, a sweet and sour experience. Hitch a ride in this newcomer and you'll be sold on the quality. Drive it and you'll be addicted. Live with that committee-designed shape though? The design gives Nissan's 350Z, Mazda's RX8 and Toyota's Celica short shrift, but show it an Alfa GT or a Merc CLK and it can only slink into a corner. This gob was decidedly unsmacked.
