Peugeot 407

Lore & Background

The Peugeot 407 was launched at The Sunday Times Motorshow Live on 27 May 2004, with sales in France commencing in June 2004 and in the rest of Europe the following month. Its streamlined design was considered radical by magazines such as Autocar, with distinctive features including a large front grille and steeply raked screen pillars. Autocar published undisguised spy photos on three occasions throughout 2003 and noted that the rear window line of the saloon had a similar feel to the short wheelbase of the Ferrari 250. The car was first announced and presented to the press in Paris in February 2004, with Groupe PSA investing in its launch.

The estate variant, the Peugeot 407 SW, was launched in September 2004, four months after the saloon. The coupé was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2005, launched in July 2005, and went on sale in January 2006. A minor facelift in August 2008 resulted in most petrol engine models being withdrawn from sale in the United Kingdom and other European countries. One model was available with AMVAR electronic suspension that controls each wheel's damping independently, adapting the ride hardness every 2.5 milliseconds.

The design of the car is very curved, bringing it more in line with the smaller Peugeot 307. Its 'face' features angry-looking eyes and a big mouth, changes from the more conservative looks of previous models that received both praise and criticism. The pre-facelift saloon model has a 0.29 drag coefficient.

Reader's Guide

The Peugeot 407 succeeded the hugely successful Peugeot 406 and was produced until 2011, with the coupé continuing until December 2011. It received 5 out of 5 stars in EuroNCAP tests for both sedan and coupé versions. The 407 appeared in the comedy films Taxi 4 (2007) and Taxi 5 (2018), continuing the series' use of Peugeot models. Its successor, the Peugeot 508, was announced in November 2010 and officially launched at the Paris Motor Show in October 2010; the 508 saloon was approximately 12 cm longer than the 407 and also replaced the larger Peugeot 607. The name Peugeot 408 was used for the Chinese-built notchback version of the Peugeot 308 that replaced the 407 in South America. The 407's television commercials, filmed in Sydney, Australia, featured life-size toy cars and used the slogan 'Playtime is Over', which some perceived as a retort to Renault's Laguna slogan 'Serious Playtime'.

Did You Know?

• The Peugeot 407 was one of the nominees for the European Car of the Year award in 2005.
• The pre-facelift saloon model has a drag coefficient of 0.29.
• The 407's first television advertisement was filmed in Sydney, Australia, featuring life-size toy cars crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
• The 407 Silhouette is a race car with most design features of the coupé.