I saw a Peugeot 407 SW Sport XS today and I liked it
Granted, the headline isn't as catchy as the title of the debut single by Katy Perry, but it's the first time my head has been turned by Peugeot's load-lugger of the 2000s. Which could be bad news for my bank balance (and marriage).
In true M&S fashion, it wasn't an ordinary 407 SW. This was the Sport XS model, introduced in 2007, midway through the 407's tenure as Peugeot's mid-size family car. It was never a bad car, but it had the unenviable task of following the timeless 406. Good luck with that.
That was the biggest problem for Peugeot's cars of the 2000s: they never looked as good as their predecessors introduced in the 1990s. That and the fact that members of Peugeot's quality control department appeared to take a sabbatical for the entire decade.
Peugeot's PR team must have dreaded the results of the annual JD Power customer satisfaction survey.
The Sport XS was more JD Sports than JD Power. Building on the Sport specification, it added the 18-inch Soleil alloy wheels from the V6 HDi versions, front and rear spoilers, mesh grille, twin exhaust pipes and Sport XS badges.
There were four colours: Onyx Black, Aluminium, Iron Grey or Halcyon Blue. The one I saw was black and it looked almost alluring, especially from the rear three-quarter angle. Am I alone in thinking this?
Power was sourced from a 2.2-litre HDi 170 diesel engine, developed by PSA and Ford. The choice of a diesel engine for the Sport XS was hardly surprising given the 407's success in the fleet sector.
Not that the Sport XS was particularly successful. DVLA data suggests that sales peaked at 203, with 85 cars surviving at the end of 2023. It's one of those cars that you know is destined for the brink of extinction before anyone cares or notices.
I know the driving experience will be underwhelming, the electronics will be patchy and bits of the interior will be broken, but to the owner of the 407 SW Sport XS I saw today, I say thank you. If nothing else, you've extended the list of probably rubbish and financially ruinous cars I want to own.
To channel a little Katy Perry, maybe I'll get brave, drink in hand...
