The Peugeot 406 is a large family car made by the French automaker Peugeot from 1995 to 2004. Available in saloon, estate and coupé bodystyles with a choice of petrol or turbodiesel engines, the 406 replaced the Peugeot 405 in Peugeot's lineup, and was itself replaced by the Peugeot 407. It used the same platform as the Citroën Xantia, though without that car's sophisticated hydropneumatic suspension system.
Unfortunately for Peugeot, this strategy did not work. With the 405 phased out, other large family cars like the Ford Mondeo and Volkswagen Passat continued to sell well and even increased in popularity,and without a direct competitor to these rivals Peugeot was losing sales fast. A new large family car was required and the 406, based on the 405 platform, was launched in 1995 as a somewhat belated 405 replacement.
The diesel versions were very popular, and the 406 became one of Europe's best-selling diesel-powered cars.[citation needed] Initially, the car was available with 1.8 L and 2.0 L petrol and 1.9 L turbodiesel engines, followed by a 110 bhp 2.1 L turbodiesel, turbocharged 2.0 L and 3.0 L petrol V6 engines. The 2-door coupé was both designed and built by Italian designer Pininfarina, with choices of a 2.0 L 4-cylinder engine or a 3.0 L V6, and from 2001, a 2.2 L HDi diesel engine. On later models, a 2.2 L petrol engine was available.
White Peugeot Performance
Elegant Red Peugeot Front View
The 406 sedan was featured in the French Taxi movie series. In Taxi the 406 has a modified 3.0 V6 capable of tremendous speed and a pop-out front and rear spoiler. In Taxi 2 the car was the facelifted 406 which also had pop-out spoilers and wings to aid aerial movement, such as when the car "jumps" over French army tanks trying to block its escape. In the movie it is capable of reaching a top speed of 306 km/h (190 mph). In Taxi 3, the 406 is further upgraded to be able to travel in icy terrain. The fourth movie Taxi 4 features a 407 instead. More gadgets and pop-out spoilers were added
A Peugeot 406 also featured heavily in the 1998 action film Ronin, which is noted for its car chase scenes. The car was driven in the final car chase throughout the streets of Paris by the main protagonists, Robert de Niro and Jean Reno.The 406 coupe featured in the French movie Le Boulet (2002), in which the coupé is the main vehicle in a police chase through Paris
