LUXURY PACK WITH FRONT SIDE AIRBAGS IN PEUGEOT V6
In its first 12 months of availability more than 170 Peugeot 406 SVs optioned with a comprehensive luxury pack including full leather trim and front side airbags have been sold in Australia.
Available on the 406 SV sedan and recently released 406 SV wagon the luxury option pack adds to an already impressive standard equipment list.
The $5,500 pack adds front (dual) side airbags, full leather trim, electric front seats with two position memory on the driver's side, a six-function on-board computer, leather trimmed steering wheel and gear knob, headlight washers, courtesy lights and twin illuminated vanity mirrors.
According to Shane Priest, Managing Director of Peugeot Concessionaires Australia (PCA), "The popularity of the luxury pack has been a pleasant surprise. A national sales rate of over 14 a month has certainly exceeded our initial projections".
HEAD AND THORAX AIRBAGS
The side bags are a dual (head and thorax) type installed on the outside of each front seat backrest. Each pair of side airbags is connected to a sensor unit attached to the inside of the siderail in front of the cross-member under the seat and level with the seat runners.
As the occupant of the seat is close to the outside of the car the side airbags inflate after 17 milliseconds compared with 34 milliseconds for the dual frontal airbags.
The electronic sensor measures acceleration and when an impact value of 15 G is reached the sensor sends a fast pulse to the control unit to order airbag inflation.
Each system operates independently and comprises a self-diagnosis unit with an indicator in the instrument cluster to prevent anomalies.
PEUGEOT 406 SV
Powered by a 3.0-litre, quad-cam, 24-valve, V6 engine the 406 SV sits at the top of Peugeot's Australian 406 sedan range.
Available with a choice of five-speed manual or four-speed electronically-controlled, three-mode, four-speed automatic transmission the 406 SV already boasts an impressively high level of standard equipment.
At $53,500 (auto $56,000) the 406 SV sedan boasts driver and passenger airbags, ABS anti-lock brakes (Bosch 5.3), climate-control air-conditioning, passively armed engine immobiliser, six speaker stereo, electric windows, remote central locking and height adjustable driver's seat.
Also included are an auto rain-sensing windscreen wiper system, (unique design) alloy wheels, electro-hydraulic speed-sensitive power steering, cruise control, lumbar control on the driver's seat and wood grain trim on the doors and dash panel.
A LUXURIOUS AND SAFE WAGON
At $58,500 (auto only) the recently released 406 SV wagon retains the sedan's luxury specification and adds the practicality of a stylish wagon body at a competitive price relative to its European luxury estate rivals.
The wagon's interior design reflects Peugeot's awareness of the need to maximise cargo volume and all-round practicality without compromising sedan-style comfort and performance. For example the tailgate incorporates two dampers for easy opening and closing - the mechanism designed so that once the tailgate has passed a "balance point" it is helped on its way until fully opened or closed.
The standard luggage blind is a single unit consisting of two complimentary sections - the first a rigid polyurethane tray (able to hold 15 kg without deforming) - the second a flexible sheet extending from the tray to the back of the load bay to seal off the luggage area from view. Curved aluminium roof bars are mounted on the flat roof via polyamide pads and offer a maximum load capacity of 100 kg when fitted with accessory cross bars.
And a three-point belt in the centre-rear position features a belt sash fixed to the back of the seat allowing for a completely clear cargo space with the rear seats folded.