There’s a decent choice of engines in the 407 Coupe range starting with a 2.2.-litre petrol that delivers 163bhp. It’s just about quick enough to give a feeling of sportiness thanks to a 0-62mph time of 9.2 seconds, but it does need to be worked quite hard and isn’t especially enjoyable to drive. The 3.0-litre petrol V6 offers a more indulgent experience and is offered with either manual or automatic gearboxes, both of which have six-speeds.

However it’s not very economical, averaging just 27mpg and was dropped from the line-up in early 2008. The most desirable choice is the auto-only diesel V6. It suits the Coupe’s long-distance touring aspirations perfectly and posts similar performance to the petrol V6 with improved economy. Unfortunately, it’s also the most expensive engine choice but with 205bhp, plenty of low down pulling power and a 0-62mph time of 8.5 seconds, it’s the most enjoyable to drive.

A 2.0-litre diesel joined the range in 2007 and proved very popular. With 136bhp it offers decent pace and is frugal with fuel economy of 48mpg achievable. However the Coupes heavy body means it’s often necessary to drop down gears on the manual gearbox to find any real acceleration.

The 407 Coupe isn’t intended to be a sportscar, but it has been substantially tweaked compared to the saloon and SW to enhance the handling ability. It’s set up to feel composed at speed and excels at eating up high speed routes. It’s a little unwieldy for twisting backroads though and doesn’t feel agile or keen to tackle corners. This isn’t helped by the overly assisted steering which lacks feedback.

V6 versions are fitted with an electronically controlled suspension system which adjusts the ride to suite the conditions. It’s undetectable in action, but there’s a dash-mounted button that allows a sport mode to be selected which noticeably firms the ride and sharpens the responses.