Review of the new Peugeot 607 3.0 V6

Quite why Jeremy Clarkson has such a downer on the Peugeot 607 is a mystery to many. What has this inoffensive car done to the demi-waved dictator from Doncaster that's got his goat quite so badly? With a 3.0-litre V6 607 on the drive and a week behind the wheel, I must admit to being a little better informed.

Peugeot offer a single variant of the 3.0-litre 607. It's known, appropriately, as the V6 and priced at £29,040. Peugeot's pricing policy did raise question marks when this 607 was only slightly less than BMW's 530i SE but now there's a reasonable buffer zone of over £4,000. You'll still have to be seriously enamoured by the French car to consider forking out nearly thirty thousand pounds and forgoing the lure of a German badge. It's a lesson that Peugeot really ought to have learned. BMW sells more 5-series models in six months than Peugeot's old 605 did in its whole ten-year lifetime and 607 sales are only marginally more impressive.

Of course, the top model in any Range is rarely the top seller and the 3.0-litre 607's volumes will be very small in relation to the more cost conscious diesel engined versions. The 210bhp V6 engine actually fares rather well when it comes to fuel economy, averaging a creditable 28mpg, but sales of big petrol cars with hefty emissions ratings has taken a knock of late. Especially if they don't wear a prestige badge on their bonnets.

Power is directed to the front wheels and if you're a little Cro-Magnon with the throttle pedal, it's possible to get the fascia to light up in a passable impression of Las Vegas by night as the traction control system does its stuff. Get it right and you'll accelerate to 60mph in 9.2 seconds.

"When maintaining a blistering pace along a French autoroute, the Peugeot 607 3.0-litre makes a convincing case for itself"

So, what is the point of this car? Why not save £4,000 upfront and buy the 2.0HDi diesel version, thus insulating yourself against depreciation more effectively and paying less at the pumps? More pertinently, why not pay £2,500 less and go for the 2.2-litre twin turbo diesel which feels every bit as quick and offers similar economy to the 2.0HDi. The main reason is the nature of the engine. It's an absolute belter, with plenty of torque from low revs and a nice metallic twang as it ascends towards the red line. It's certainly one of the better 'affordable' V6 engines about, not in the same league as Alfa Romeo's V6 for sheer charisma but a good deal more satisfying than a Ford or Vauxhall equivalent. Emissions aren't so impressive, some 242g/km of carbon dioxide being about average for class.

The 607's standard ESP system works with the ASR skid control and intervenes in extreme situations, automatically limiting the throttle or applying the brakes. These operate in conjunction with ABS and REF (a system that apportions maximum braking effort to the wheel most needing it). Other clever high-tech touches are everywhere. The double glazed glass, the tyre pressure monitor on each wheel, the park-assistance radar system to guide you safely into the tightest of spaces, side lights that automatically illuminate in falling light, the rear view mirror that darkens when someone's on full beam behind you, the stereo volume that rises and falls in line with your speed and particularly clever rain sensitive wipers. These can switch on and off by themselves, work faster at night and slower in a traffic jam and switch themselves off if impeded by snow and ice.

But if the technical people have done well with the 607, the interior stylists have done even better, creating a spacious cabin with real class. Driver and passenger are separated by a main console that houses the controls for the standard climate control system, the audio controls and the satellite navigation system that's standard. The vehicle also features full leather trim, ESP stability control and a sophisticated electronic suspension control system. Metallic paint, 17-inch alloy wheels, a built-in GSM mobile phone and self-levelling xenon headlights also go some way to justifying the price.

When maintaining a blistering pace along a French autoroute, the Peugeot 607 3.0-litre makes a convincing case for itself. Fast, comfortable, well equipped and able to take advantage of cheap fuel, it all seems to make perfect sense. Playing a home leg is the easy bit though. Here in the UK, the car struggles to offer a convincing case. Don't listen to the snipers, it's not a bad car at all, it's just that there are plenty of others that are better suited to the needs of British drivers and therein lies the frustration. The 607 3.0-litre has a lot going for it and it's very likeable. Unfortunately likeable and buyable aren't always the same thing.