Peugeot moving people in style

By ALASTAIR SLOANE motoring editor

French carmaker Peugeot has released the first pictures of its new 407, the stylish replacement for the mid-range 406.

The 407 will officially be unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March and go on sale in New Zealand around September/October.

The new car is typical of the emphasis European carmakers have placed on style-conscious concepts in recent years.

The appearance of the wagon variant at the same time as the 407 sedan points to a belief in Europe that buyers of load-carriers will move away from van-like people-movers and into svelte alternatives with luxurious interiors.

Peugeot has said that it sees design as a major influence on car buyers, who already look for striking design differences in clothes, furnishings and household appliances.

The 407 looks fresh and modern and sports a large grille/air intake similar to the Elixir concept car shown at the Frankfurt motor show in September.

Peugeot says the styling in the 407 sedan and wagon highlights two features that mark a new stylistic approach: power, strength, and purpose mixed with a feeling of dynamics.

The design of estates in Europe is changing as carmakers move away from utilitarian traditions towards style.

Mercedes-Benz has led the way with its C-Class and E-Class wagons. The new BMW 5-Series wagon is said to be better looking than the sedan.

Jaguar has the X-Type wagon. Lexus has a sports wagon based on the IS200. Volvo has just unveiled its V50 wagon (see story below).

The 407 will come with a number of firsts for Peugeot, including a double-wishbone front suspension, Xenon directional headlights, and a new-generation electronic stability programme.

Safety systems extend to nine airbags, including one for the driver's knees.

Among the improvements in the line-up of engines is a new 2.7-litre V6 turbo-diesel, developed with Citroen and Ford and producing about 400Nm of torque.

European models will initially have a range of petrol and smaller-capacity diesel engines.

Two petrol engines are likely to be available in New Zealand, the 120kW (160bhp) 2.2-litre four-cylinder unit mated to a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox, and the 158kW (211bhp) 3-litre V6 using a six-speed automatic with manual mode.

Peugeot's diesel offering here is likely to be the 2-litre HDi engine, developing 100kW and 320Nm of torque and mated to a six-speed manual box.

It is not known if the V6 diesel will be available here. It comes with a special diesel exhaust filter that works only on low-sulphur fuel. The high sulphur in New Zealand fuel would clog it up.

Peugeot NZ said it would not know about the engine line-up, specifications and likely cost of the 407 range until next year.