There were always two costings attached to a stylish motor, the purchasing price and the cost of running it.

In recent times Peugeot went about dismissing this theory, to some degree with the introduction of a diesel coupe.

To some, or should I say most, car enthusiasts the idea of a diesel engine under the bonnet of a beautiful Coupe may sound as far fetched as envisaging Darren Fay and Luciano Pavoratti singing a duet in Milan.

Coupes are about style and performance after that little matters in most manufacturers eyes. It does not matter whether it’s a two seater, a two + two where the rear passengers are squashed into oblivion or if the car uses two gallons for every mile covered. Many Coupes have been aimed at people with more money than sense.

On the other hand Peugeot turned the tables on manufacturers who thought they knew it all. They started off by producing a Coupe with practicality attached.

This practicality, a good four seater with a descent boot did not take away from the vehicles style.

On the contrary, the 406 Coupe was selected as the most beautiful car of the year at the time of its launch.

The simplicity attached to this beautiful piece of motoring art most surely has led to many of the worlds Coupe designers going into depression and loosing themselves in some back street bar.

Many of these people thought Coupes should be stylish yet as impractical as having an ashtray on a motorcycle.

The same can be said of course of the engineers who believed Coupes should have only fuel guzzling motors under the bonnet.

Following the deployment of the 2.2 Hdi engine under the 406 Coupe bonnet these same people must have caught up with their colleagues in the little bars and asking where did we go wrong lads? How come we did not think of that?

As the fellow says there is such a thing as horses for courses. A stylish Coupe with rear seating the size of cooker rings would possible be fine in the Cote d’Azur where it happens to be himself and herself and the poodle with the crew cut.

A Coupe with a V6/V8 engine under the bonnet is perfect for those who can travel flat out between Munich and Berlin every day.

Peugeot have produced a Coupe for those who live in the real world.

Here we have every bit as much appreciation for style as your man who lives in the South of France or the Italian Rivera.

We also have an appreciation for a vehicle that combines style with practicality.

The 406 does not restrict rear passengers to the four legged

Instead we can afford others our children’s friends sample and enjoy Coupe motoring at its best and without the restrictions other Coupes can bestow on people.

We can also afford to run this car at the cost of running a small supermini.

Such is the economy produced by this car, that unlike many petrol Coupe’s which would have you wishing it was pay day every day, the 406 will to encourage any Thelma and Louise wrong doings.

The performance from the 2.2 16-valve turbo diesel engine takes none of the fun properties away from the car. It’s refined, powerful, - 136 bhp and torquey. The common rail engine similar to that available in the Peugeot 607 and Citroen C5 has the innovative particle variable-geometry turbo and twin balancing shafts.

It’s a high tech piece of diesel machinery, which has the ability to offer the best of both worlds, comfortable eager performance and joyful economy.

Overall driving returned 51 mpg, while town running fell to 34 mpg. The car is responsive, it reacts and like it’s fellow petrol stable mate it glues itself to the road.

Amazingly comfort elements do not suffer because of the vehicles positive handling.

It has the ability to digest most road roughage with ease, a commodity many Coupes lack.

The Peugeot 406 Coupe, which received its styling, cues from the Pininfarina Italian design house, is one classy machine.

Available in two guises the 2.2 Hdi with the SE pack (lateral air bags, electrochrome rear mirror electric/heated seats and leather upholstery) has to be the model to recommend.

The sting in the tail comes with the £34,145 price tag £3,000 more than the starting models.

Overall the 406 Coupe in diesel guise proved to be a very likeable car. It’s roomy, well built, sufficiently powerful, refined and very economical.

There is just one problem, Peugeot know its a good car and from where I’m sitting they charged an extra £3,200 above the price of the 2.0 litre Se petrol model for the privilege of owning a diesel.

This I see as a killer blow because £3,200 will buy a lot of petrol in anyone’s language.