Heroes and Villains 2 Peugeot 406 V6 coupé

Looking back over cars that have made an impression, whether good or bad. Some cars have lived up to my expectations, some cars have disappointed. A good reputation or a prestigious badge is no guarantee of hero status.

The Peugeot 406 coupé is probably my favourite of all the cars I’ve never written about. I liked the shape which was no worse for containing elements of other car’s styling. The way bonnet, windscreen pillars and front wings merged reminded me of the Toyota Soarer. There was a faint echo of the 1968 Dodge Charger in the slightly recessed rear window.

What I enjoyed about the 406 coupé was that it was fast and surefooted without being in any way harsh or “sporty”. Every road test I’ve read criticised the 406 for over light steering but I prefer response to weight and in that respect the steering was fine. In fact every control was beautifully responsive without being hard work to operate. The only disappointment was the gear lever, which had that slightly loose, floppy feeling that seems to be a Peugeot family trait. In a 206 that is fine but in a £30,000 car I would expect the lever to move with a well-oiled precision and without slop.

One flaw could not spoil my enjoyment of the car. Overall the 406 had an air of class; it felt well made, the leather seats were very comfortable and the driving position felt more coupé than saloon. Given the good impression the Peugeot made I feel almost embarrassed that this is the first time I’ve actually written anything about it.

From the archives - A nice pair of Bristols

I mean Bristol cars, of course. I've been going through some of my old photos and I found these which represent 2 of my favourite 4-wheeled things.



This is a Bristol 406 Zagato of 1959, they only made 6 so you've probably never seen one before. The 406Z was smaller and lighter than the standard 406 saloon and had a more powerful engine. The famous motoring writer LJK Setright had a 406 Zagato.



This is a Bristol 409. Commercial pressures forced Bristol to stop building their own engines and instead fitted Canadian Chrysler V8 engines. The 409 had power steering and better weight distribution than earlier V8 Bristols, although bristol owners and enthusiasts tend to fall into loyal pro and anti V8 camps.

Click on the title to go to the Bristol Owners Club site if you want to find out more about the company and the cars.