14 Sep 04
It still looks the part, though: very Ferrari-alike. The front view bears a striking resemblance to a 612 Scaglietti (have a look at a photo if you don't believe us). The rear haunches, however, lose their purposeful stance with the additional bodywork that goes into making up the boot. The mish-mash of reverse and fog lights surrounding the back number-plate does spoil the otherwise smooth lines at the rear, we reckon.
Fixed roof bars finished in aluminium are standard on all SWs, but choose the colour of the car wisely as the silver finish can clash badly with some of the paint finishes, especially Champagne Gold. A huge 1.6m² panoramic glass sunroof is also part and parcel, which makes travelling in the back bearable because without it, the low roofline could make passengers feel quite claustrophobic. Especially with the optional tinted rear windows.
Driving the SW is a largely uninspiring affair. The boot's 55kg of extra weight disturbs the dynamics to the degree that the 407 SW becomes an alright drive rather than a good drive. Body roll, which is all but non-existent in the saloon, certainly upsets the SW's handling. Nor is the steering as direct as, say, a Ford Mondeo's; but it does have good feel and feedback, even if it's a little over-assisted at low speeds.
