Peugeot introduced the Peugeot 406 as a large family vehicle in 1995, producing it in France and the United Kingdom until 2004. Peugeot's Italian assembly plant built the coupé only until 2003, while the facility in Egypt continued production until 2008.
The French automaker launched the 406 in 4-door saloons, 5-door estates, and 2-door coupé body styles, with both petrol and turbodiesel engine variants. The 406 used the same platform that built the Citroën Xantia but not Xantia’s hydropneumatic suspension system.
A Brief History
The Peugeot 406 succeeded the 405 saloons and estates and the 504 coupés. The car only improves upon the basic structural designs already established by its predecessors.
405 (1987-1997)
The 405 came out in 1987 as the third vehicle in the Peugeot 400 car series launched as a large family vehicle. It remains in production for Iran and Egypt to this day.
After the 403 and 404 models, Peugeot decided to make the 504 the successor to the 404. Then, Peugeot 505 succeeded the 504, although it dropped the 504 coupé later. Then, the company went back to its 400 series, making the 405 the successor to the 505. The 405 did not have a coupé variant, so Peugeot decided to bring back the coupé body style last seen in Peugeot 504 with the 406, making the 504 an indirect predecessor to the 406.
504 Coupé (1969-1983)
The Peugeot 504 Coupé was launched a year after the rest of the 504 body styles in 1969. This two-door coupé shared its engine specifications with the saloon variant of the 504. However, it produced a higher road speed due to slight modifications in the final drive ratio.
Peugeot introduced an upgraded 504 Coupé with new engines in 1974 at the October Motor Show. These engines made the Coupé more powerful compared to previous versions.
Peugeot 406 (1995-2004)
Stylistically, the 406 stayed true to its predecessor, the Peugeot 405, although it has taken inspiration from the Peugeot 504 coupé version for its coupe variant. The 405 ceased production in Europe in 1997, around two years after the launch of the 406, offering the market a smooth transition between the two models.
The Pininfarina-designed coupé variant had its introduction at the Paris Motor Show in 1996 and offered 2.0L inline-4 and 3.0L V6 petrol options at launch. Later models also became available in 2.2L engines, both diesel and petrol. Pininfarina originally intended the 406 design for a Fiat model but which the Italian carmaker rejected in favour of an in-house blueprint. The 406 Coupé eventually evolved to the Peugeot Coupé during the later years of its life.
The diesel variant of the 406 also broke the world record in terms of fuel efficiency, delivering a travelling distance of 2,348 km on a single fuel tank going from Melbourne to Rockhampton to set this world record.
Facelift
The 406 received a major facelift at the start of 1999, resulting in a better performance base on the Euro NCAP criteria. These changes brought new diesel engines to the 406, namely the EW/DW engines, which provided greater fuel efficiency, power, and torque, in addition to increased refinement that resulted in a quieter diesel engine performance. The car received both exterior and interior upgrades, refining the 406's look and making it more spacious. The facelift also added new equipment, such as digital climate control and a multi-functional display.
Powertrains
The following engines and drivetrains powered the Peugeot 406 over its production run:
- 2.0L EW10 J4 petrol engine, 4-speed automatic transmission or 5-speed manual gearbox - 100-102 kW, 187-194 Nm
- 2.0L DW10 diesel engine, 4-speed automatic transmission or 5-speed manual gearbox - 82 kW, 255 Nm
- 2.1L XUD11 BTE diesel engine, 5-speed manual gearbox - 82 kW, 251 Nm
- 2.9L ES9 J4S XFX petrol engine, 4-speed automatic transmission or 5-speed manual gearbox - 157 kW, 285 Nm
The Peugeot 406 continues to exist for more than two decades after its initial launch. If you are one proud owner of a Peugeot 406 and want to maintain your car but are unable to find the right car parts for it, or want to sell it to someone who truly appreciates its worth, then visit us at Carpart.come.au. We can help you sort out all your Peugeot 406 needs.