PEUGEOT

403

The PEUGEOT 403 is the handsome, hard-working saloon that propelled Peugeot into the modern era and forged one of the great partnerships in automotive design. Unveiled on 20 April 1955 at the Trocadéro in Paris, the PEUGEOT 403 was the very first Peugeot styled by the Italian carrozzeria Pininfarina, beginning a relationship that would shape Peugeot's look for decades to come. Pininfarina gave the PEUGEOT 403 a restrained, beautifully proportioned three-box body with a gently rounded roofline and tasteful chrome detailing — understated next to flashier American rivals, but ageing far more gracefully. Beneath the elegant skin, the PEUGEOT 403 was robust and thoroughly engineered, with a 1,468 cc four-cylinder engine, a sturdy chassis and a reputation for durability that made it a favourite in markets from Europe to Africa and beyond. Over its long life the PEUGEOT 403 was offered in a wide range of body styles, including the four-door Berline saloon, a practical Familiale estate, a commercial van, and the rare and now highly coveted Cabriolet — immortalised on screen decades later as the car of television detective Columbo. A diesel version also helped cement Peugeot's long association with hard-wearing oil-burning engines. Produced from 1955 to 1966 with a remarkable 1,214,121 examples built across all types, the PEUGEOT 403 was the first Peugeot to break the one-million mark, assembled not only at Sochaux but also in Australia, Argentina, New Zealand and Uruguay. Today the PEUGEOT 403 is cherished as a dignified, dependable and increasingly collectible French classic, with the Cabriolet in particular commanding serious money.