I think this car is real competition for the Accord in Europe. Check out this link. By the way, if anyone knows how to bring pictures please do so. Click on the picture on the 407.

http://www.peugeot-avenue.com/

 

Exterior looks nice, but I'm not a big fan of the saab-like interior (5,000 buttons on the dash)

 

Too bad we don't get them over here. They're real pretty. Peugots always looked more German or even Italian than French to me (unlike Citroen and Renault).

 

When they had Peugeots here (mid-to-late '70's, maybe into the '80's but I'm not sure), reliability was terrible.
From what we've heard since, I get the impression it has stayed like that.

 

No, actually Peugeots are known around the world as very reliable cars. The main problem here was the poor dealer service. Go ask anyone you may know from south america, europe, africa or middle east. These cars are so though that are used as taxicabs in many countries. I had a 405 that a friend of mine still has with more than 180,000 miles. If you see it you would think it has 60 k. They are very similar to the old Volvos, mechanicaly very strong, more so than japanese cars, but they do develop some electrical problems in the adult life.

 

The Accord has plenty of competition from a number of brands. If you were too look at a survey of car owners though, you won't find many if any ahead of the Accord.
While available everywhere outside of the NA, the further you get from France the less of them you see.
Maybe if Alfa ever gets its act together, brings their sedan to NA and succeeds, then Peugeot might follow.

 

Actually, righ now, is more probable that Peugeot will make it back sooner than Alfa. Financially speaking Peugeot is doing much better than Fiat and the French are already talking about a come back. Alfa has annouced recently another postponmet to their return. Too bad, even though their cars are not widely accepted, they add some fun to the automotive selection. Needless to say, I have my hart on those cars . I have owned a Renualt Fuego, a Peugeot 405 and two Alfas 164 (still have one).Now I have a G35, a much more powerfull and refined car (except to the 164 in refinment) but I feel a lack of soul in all japanese cars. The cars from northen Europe are not my cup of tea either, don't know why.

 

It is me or does the 407 look like a cross between a current model 300M and a Taurus? Especially that front grill and the cascading rear (300M).

 

It's French. People don't like the French, so it won't sell. Nice design though. If it was sold here, it would sell very fast.

 

Beam me up scotty!

 

that thing is ugly. the body doesn't flow at all and the interior sucks.

 

Damn, those headlights really sweep back pretty far. Although, that seems to be all the rage lately; alot of cars are getting away from teh more horizontal lights (i.e. TSX and Mazda6) and getting into these almond shaped things. That's one of the aspects of the TSX I really like; horizontal lights and sharper edges.

I wonder how long it will be before the designers create lights sweep right back to the A-pillar. That way, if you ever need to replace them, you can just roll your window down!

 

Hi Jackspat2, how do you bring pictures into the forum?

 

I took that picture off the French website. If you want to post a picture on this forum, you need to have that picture hosted on another server. If you can see that picture somewhere else on the web, it's hosted, meaning it's stored somewhere on the internet for ALL to see. Every picture has an address (of some sort). Choose a random picture off the internet and right click on that picture. Copy that address (URL). Click the "IMG" button when posting something and a little dialogue will pop up. Insert the address in there, and bingo: a picture. Try it with the picture I posted. We always need more French innovation!

 

Does it look a little like the TSX or is it me ? By the way, thank you Jackpat2.

 

I kinda can tell what you mean. The stiring wheel is like ka-blam! In your face. Defiance. Look at me, I'm huge and abnoxious. I'm French!

 

Ya, it is bigger that the one on the TSX but I like it more than the on on the TL, at least this one is three spokes. What do you think about the seams on the seats? Don't they look like the old cars? I think that is cool. Also the Instrument cluster looks very classy with the chromed rims and multiple gauges (probably oil pressure, voltage, etc)

 

i don't think there's much to worry about over here in Europe.

My Honda dealer also carries Peugots and every time I've been for a routine service there are always cars with weird problems like a 206 with the tin top stuck halfway down !

Ernie

 

Well, I don't have the numbers in front of me, but I bet you that Peugeot sells more cars than Honda in Europe and South America.

 

i'm sure peugot or any of the french brands could make it in america. I remember not to recently that either peugot or citroen had placed an ad about one of their cars in one of my issues of autoweek so they're definitely trying to create some kind of brand awareness over here. Personally I don't have any problems with French automobiles. My uncle in Europe has a 99 Renault Espace with the 1.9 liter turbo diesel and I rode in it for 3 weeks and I absolutely loved it. The new espace is even better, if they brought that thing to America it would crush the competition of other minivans out there.

 

try living with one ...

the 1st job I had at a computer company I worked for had a Renault Express van within the 6 months the seat worked itself loose whilst I was driving ....try driving from the back seat ! and the exhaust also fell off at speed.....

Ernie

Ernie