Peugeot 406 Coupe | Spotted

Every car manufacturer enjoys a golden era, that time in its history (or perhaps even the present day, for a lucky few) where the cars were great, sales were great and everything about the business was (or at least seemed) tickety boo. You’ll know exactly when the glory days were for a manufacturer, because it’s the era fans want to resurrect cars from. And if there isn’t too much whingeing, perhaps now is as good as it gets… 

For a lot of carmakers, the mid-to-late ’90s must now look pretty good. Probably felt it at the time, too, with generous budgets, simpler rules and less competition than today. This time around (given there are plenty that could be put forward), we’ll nominate Peugeot as enjoying its best days in this period. The decade before was pretty special thanks to the 205, but now the GTI badge graced the brilliant 106 and 306 as well. The two of them made for epic tarmac rally cars, and plenty of Super Touring-spec 406s were produced in addition. Alongside being a great family car in saloon and estate guise. And who could forget the 406’s starring role in the Taxi films? 

There simply wasn’t a weak link in the lineup, all the way up to the 806 (and its crazy touring car spin off). Maybe the 605 wasn’t the greatest saloon ever, but no golden era is perfect. There was even a very handsome coupe to add some glamour to a mass market range, in the shape of the 406 Coupe. This was the time when every mainstream range almost had to have a two-door in it, from Calibra to C70 and Prelude to Probe. Not every single one was a commercial or critical hit, though they aren’t half interesting 30 years on. 

Despite the name, the 406 Coupe was notable for not sharing a great deal with the saloons. Or not as much as expected, at least, with entirely bespoke bodywork rather than just a two-door take on the standard car. It helped, too, that the bodywork was very striking, Pininfarina designing something special with this Peugeot. In fact, the 406 Coupe was actually built in Italy as well, presumably as Pininfarina was so proud of what it had styled it didn’t want anyone spoiling the physical reality. 

More than 100,000 sold, with around 10 per cent coming here, buyers won over by the Peugeot’s blend of style and sophisticated driving manners. These days the two-door 406, like so many of those ’90s coupe curios, is extremely hard to come by, numbers thinned out by dwindling values. Despite the Pininfarina influence, values have always been more akin to an old repmobile than anything more special. Which was great for some cheap glamour 10 or 15 years ago, but not so much for the longevity of a cool classic. 

This one ticks all the boxes for a great 406 Coupe, with the 2.9-litre V6 engine, manual gearbox, and some jazzy red leather to brighten up what was a fairly 406-y interior. It’s one of those Peugeots – one of those cars in general – that you just never see these days, which is a shame given how smart the Coupe has always looked. Plus with just 80,000 miles for 28 years driving and what’s said to be an ‘incredibly detailed history file’, hopefully this is more than just pretty to look at. For £5,995, it seems like a great modern classic GT, the ideal thing to brighten up any old car show (or commute, for that matter). Alongside a 306 Rallye, you’ll have a pair of golden era Peugeots for any occasion…  

Engine: 2,946cc, V6
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 197@5,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 197@4,00rpm
MPG: 25.9
CO2: 260g/km
Recorded mileage: 79,000
Year registered: 1998
Price new: £26,720
Yours for: £5,995