Laferrari Review - Top Gear - Series 22 - BBC
The latest model of one of the oldest manufacturers of France has excellent brakes and handling qualities of high performance engine 2 1-1 liters unusual features contribute to the individuality of 403.
there we borrowed a Peugeot three years 203 to test the service Depot Lockhart Dunstable This Peugeot Lingers in memory as being very safe handling qualities and remarkably powerful brakes, and with good performance combined with fuel economic consumption recently we traveled again in Dunstable to try the latest Peugeot 403, a very good family car, but not as exceptional in its category as smaller engined 203 the charm of the Peugeot 403 enthusiasts centers around its individuality, its safe handling qualities that make it great to drive and exceptional performance for a very spacious car, but a wet coating, four-cylinder engine 58 BBP.
Under the hood, there is individuality in this power unit, the polished dome-shaped valve cover that hides inclined oh valves in the hemispherical combustion chambers, actuated by long and short latches and push the rear of the 403 there is the Peugeot vector helical gear repress axle, while throughout this practical car, as well as individual elements outweigh front suspension triangles and transverse leaf spring, but in the back, although semi-rigid axle is used, it is coil-springs and located by a stabilizer bar direction is rack.
Externally this is a Peugeot sedan 5-6 seater classic, beautiful, spacious, well finished and construction The relatively high use of stainless steel for bumpers and plates neat wheel Knave set by a single central screw in instead of being pushed on the wheels tinnily be appreciated by discernment, and own external lines are reinforced by the lack of a visible gasoline feedstock, the latter being concealed under a flap spring loaded which forms the reflector back close to the face, and closed, closes the filling orifice taken roof- rack are standard and it is nice to see the Peugeot lion mascot, with sharp teeth in its open mouth, retained on the 403.
Inside the car, there is a wide rear seat and two large front seats separately, the back that can be let down to form a bed, a popular arrangement France secondary levers sliding adjustment control, the seats being placed well inside the doors the coating is made of leather and each door has a small armrest, while there is a folding armrest for rear seat occupants All four gates around, they close rather tinnily and the test car passenger gateway have proven stubborn front windows require three laps behind those that do not meander quite completely, 2-1 2 rounds of their handles for raising and lowering ago a central roof lamp, operated by opening the front doors, but not through the rear doors, its practical switch for front seat occupants, the rear doors are locked by their po internal igneous, only the entry doors with lock thresholds at the door through which the output is performed being then locked to the outside by the key of the front passenger door is equipped wit h a traction doth He is a type ashtray drawer in the dashboard and another for the rear passenger compartment at the end of the rear seat armrest, usable when the rest is in failure.
Behind the wheel two branches suitable driver is faced with a metal plate edge and is good visibility, the two front wings being in sight and the lateral uprights detailed examination untroublesome within the Peugeot, there are some excellent elements that emphasize the individuality of the car and other items not welcome, for example, the closet is so shallow to be virtually useless and is covered by an unpleasant, spring, unlocked vertical cover Under the board edge to the left there are four commendably accessible lids fuses and a small tumbler switch for selecting off or parking lights near side, a reflected part design is that the working direction indicators of these parking lights and their own lamps as an additional warning of a change in direction.
Minor control the Peugeot 403 are conveniently disposed on the right of the steering column a lamp lever operates in a box, from which the off lamps, sidelamps crossing projectors and full beam headlights can be selected a finger movement and the left thumb of the column, above the gear lever, is a small plastic rod which actuates the steering-flashers, these self-canceling in particular quickly after a corner has been negotiated, instead of blinking unnecessary and irritating warning for hundreds of yards thereafter, a row of buttons solidified milk left and right of the steering column, the dashboard, treat, respectively, starter, the starter, the screen -rondelles, air-seal for the inlet of the heating device to exclude the diesel output and other noxious fumes in the traffic and start screenwipers and b outons washer grow in the other are labeled S, CA and EU, respectively, which can confuse British owners but there is a rheostat lighting control effective instruments through a small button fumbly under the dashboard for the operation of the right hand, and apparently the French do not trust the reliability of wiper motors, such as a manual override, like Citroen and Simca, is provided .
The center of the dashboard is occupied by the heater panel, the commands comprising two levers ordered quadrant, clad, with the fan switch incorporated in the right hand one The heating fan is commendable quiet There is a vent fresh air within the front grille and delivery through an outlet pipe into the cockpit and antifog heaters are effective.
The front doors have ventilation windows have locks thief-proof, such as VW, but they lack unfortunately the rain gutters of those on the German car, so that the ventilation in the results of the rain in water drops into the interior of the Peugeot.
Instrumentation includes small square dial indicators for the water temperature rather amusing calibrated 104, 140, 176 and 212 ° F, the contents of the fuel, the ammeter reading and the central clock therebetween is mileage odometer, trip recorder with decimal being located above, in the great arc of the speedometer Jaeger, who has a commendably steady hand, but is calibrated with thick lines in ten mph to 95 mph with thin lines each 5 mph that can be confusing the fuel gauge is suitably accurate, but only marked 1, 2, 3, 4, with the empty hatching at the end of the dial; water temperature is normally about 170 ° F rather unnecessarily large buttons protrude in the dashboard for the odometer reading of zero travel ING and clock There is a mirror and dual rear-view proper center pivot Dimming visors, the passenger s carrying a vanity mirror to compensate for the inadequate storage room 403 has elastic pockets leading in the front doors and a large shelf behind the rear seat the dashboard is generously padded accident and a padded threshold -Dessus and windshield.
In conducting the Peugeot pedals suspended well flared-out and the action of the clutch light immediately appreciated the steering column gear lever on the left of the column, is rigid and easy, but is no better than others of this type, the accidental selection of bad report being too easy, accentuated in the Peugeot because speed pitches are like a three-speed gearbox with reverse before lower speed, speed superior, which overdrive Peugeot term, being in front, above second gear change down this high up in normal or high third gear and back is easy, but to go quickly from top to top the second speed is awkward, whereas the bottom gear is engaged at times when the third is selected from high above.
For the disappointment of this device by movement of the steering column is added, that of finding the usual monotonically spaced gear ratios poor wagons of the second gear 9 74-1 is too low to be useful, and gap between the latter and the third gearwheel 5 75-1 is depressing, while the top 36 of 1 speed 4, said upper portion of overdrive can be engaged in a satisfactory manner from about 30 mph and may suitably be higher.
Due to these gears acceleration is not exceptional, the Peugeot needed 23 sec by 1 4-mile-start up and take even longer to reach 60 mph from rest Once in his stride, however, the car is doing in wonder if rather loud noise, the engine on the square making its presence heard in lower gears and gear emitting some whining These unfortunately spaced ratios are somewhat offset by the flexibility of the car, the third velocity sufficing to a crawl, while that gear can be engaged to 30, or even 20 mph although it is troublesome to his conscience, decision makers do not like to use this ratio below 40 mph They also say the first rate shall in no case be engaged if the car is doing more than 15 mp h.
The maxima are indicated 28, 51 and 80 h in first, second and third gears, while the top speed of the needle of the speed meter fires the dial, the actual road level maximum being about 84 mph speed cruise from 70 to 80 mph is usual.
Returning for a moment to the detailed arrangements, there is the key, rather a misplaced button by switching the direction of h t current column; as light is warning incorporated in the thermometer dial water forgetful owners likely the battery will drain This indicator also shows low oil pressure there It has a separate indicator window for management-flashers.
As the driver gets used to the 403, it is softer suspension than the 203 it absorbs road shock satisfactorily at the expense of an irritant to move up and down to the occupants of the car, accentuated because phasing out seat springs is in harmony with the suspension but if the path is wrong in this regard, the direction and power through corners are very good There is no trace of lost motion driving, which is free to kick-back and vibration and extremely accurate this is a slight direction oriented 3-3 4 turns lock to lock, which is indexed so low as it sounds, the lock is phenomenal , providing useful turning circle of 31 feet around the car very safe, even wet roads, where the assembly Michelin X tires all is probably largely responsible for the shift is Equilibrium With an almost neutral steering action but just a trace of understeer Lots roll and the seats do not provide much support with rapid horn ring conditions, comfortable as they are undoubtedly the protest tires hardly at all when the car is close to its limit of cornering grip to the pressure of the light pedal brakes are extremely powerful and quite vice-free They stop in a straight line car in the wet the handbrake is too far beneath the scuttle right and its metal ratchet lever and release are hard on soft hands, but he held firmly.
The engine has a relatively simple compression ratio of 7 0-1 accepts and Esso mixture without trace pinking It does not run on after driving fast, and it uses no oil or water during the long weekend week when the author has tested the car fuel consumption was said to be very good, at least 30 mpg, but we didn t test supported this tankful of gasoline us 253 miles, which, on the claimed capacity of 10 -1 2 gallons is 24 mpg subsequent tests on amounts of gasoline provided an average of April 24 mpg in normal use Finally, after our usual consumption driving at high speed remained at 24 mpg estimable in the circumstances, but we make doubtful about of claims 30 to 40 mpg 403 the measuring body of the Peugeot is free of rattles save a metallic sound in the region of the dashboard and wind noise is low the Marchal headlights can be adjusted easily discover t after chrome rims were slipped; they give a light pipe, but are very poor when dimmed, so spotlamps seems indispensable.
In the high-speed drive around our Hampshire circuit 115-mile early am excellent cornering power and braking the Peugeot were fully apparent in poor conditions, with mainly wet roads and fog that slowed the car in places, the overall average speed worked 60 2 mph on these various, give and take roads in the hands of the same driver who made this severe test with four cars to be completely foolproof by Motor Sport Peugeot covered the final winding section of the road to the excellent average speed of 74 3 mph improving speed on dry roads a British sports saloon both carburetter 2 9 mph this performance would be possible with a braking car high and the handling capacity in this part of the management and the testing turns were confirmed as very good, the car has come off in extreme conditions with all four wheels first, back then slide rather viciously, calling for a quick and violent correction with the steerin g visibility and superb steering lock materially assist driving fast but smooth ride booty rapid negotiation of long bumpy corners.
It only remains to add that Peugeot has a large trunk, the lid can be locked and has over center hinges, baggage being carried on the top floor of the spare tire and tools, and that the cover must be kept open Tudor battery Ducellier coil and large air cleaner Tecalemit for simple Solex carburetor are accessible, but the dip-stick is poor very sensitive arrangement is the glass container which shows liquid level brake at a glance, as in 203.
Towards the end of the race a few toppings under the dashboard was loose and tended to clutch judder, but otherwise no gap developed Incidentally, the extras were on the car seat covers and carpet Kumficar ground.
In summary, if the Peugeot 403 is unsatisfactory in relation turn shift and gear ratios, it has a handling, steering and braking that make security and fast, and excellent performance for a car spacious 1-1 of 2 liters with a single carburetter low compression ratio is an individual character car, typically French.
In this country, the Peugeot 796 is available for 2s 11d or 11s 5d 1,195 including import duties and purchase tax Other versions are a folding convertible top, family sedan eight seats and break service station Lockhart , Chiltern Road, Dunstable, can offer relatively fast delivery W B.
The Peugeot 403 - A good French family car Motor Sport Magazine Archive, Peugeot, well, French, family.