Peugeot 406 Coupe V6
The Peugeot 406 Coupe is widely considered one of the most beautiful production cars of the late 20th century. Designed by Pininfarina's Davide Arcangeli, the 406 Coupe transformed the workaday 406 sedan into a genuinely stunning grand tourer that could hold its own aesthetically against cars costing three times as much. Every panel was unique to the coupe — it shared almost nothing visible with the sedan apart from the headlamps. The body was not only built but also assembled by Pininfarina at their Grugliasco facility near Turin, lending an Italian hand-crafted quality to a French automobile. The V6 variant used the PSA/Renault PRV-derived 3.0-liter engine producing 210 horsepower, driving the front wheels through a sweet-shifting six-speed manual. The double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear provided the handling sophistication to match the car's grand touring aspirations. While it was never a sports car, the 406 Coupe V6 was a refined, comfortable long-distance cruiser that turned heads wherever it went. The car's styling has aged so gracefully that it continues to receive compliments decades after production ended.
Rust attacks the rear wheel arches, sills, and boot floor — Pininfarina bodies are not immune. The 3.0 V6 is reliable but expensive to service (timing belt is critical). Check for warped front brake discs. The six-speed manual should be smooth — rebuild is expensive. Electrical gremlins can affect central locking and windows. Beautiful examples are undervalued and rising.
107,610 406 Coupes were produced by Pininfarina at their Turin facility. The car shared very few body panels with the 406 sedan. Each body was welded, painted, and assembled by Pininfarina before shipping to dealers.