Peugeot 405 Peugeot 405 The Peugeot 405 is a large family car released by the French automaker Peugeot in July 1987, and which continues to be manufactured under licence outside France, having been discontinued in Europe in 1997. It was voted European Car of the Year for 1988 by the largest number of votes in the history of the contest. About 2.5 million vehicles have been sold worldwide, both in LHD and RHD, as a sedan and station wagon. Its appearance is similar to the Alfa Romeo 164, launched the same year and also styled by Pininfarina. While the 405 shares its
Car of the Year Car of the Year Car of the Year (COTY) is a common abbreviation for numerous awards. The "Car of the Year" phrase is considered to have been introduced by "Motor Trend" magazine in 1949 when the new publication named Cadillac as Motor Trend Car of the Year. The magazine continues its COTY award and has also expanded to separate trophies for pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs). Other publications and various organizations also have COTY recognitions. These may focus on regional markets, vehicle types, or market segments. An example is the "tow car of the year" in the UK