- This modest Peugeot sedan appeared in the recent Enzo Ferrari biopic.
- It is lifelike, because Enzo had had an affinity with Peugeots for a long time.
- This car is in solid collector’s condition and the movie provenance only makes the car even more attractive.
Instead of being an action packed racing movie like the one from 2013 HastMichael Manns Ferrari is a slow biopic that wants to tell the story of the man more than his machines. The details are correct, however, and that’s why the first time you see Enzo behind the wheel, he’s not driving an Alfa Romeo or one of his own prancing stallions, but a modest little French sedan.
Now that same car just showed up on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos): a 1956 Peugeot 403 that appeared on the screen Ferrari. Compared to the racing Maseratis and Ferraris seen elsewhere in the film, this is a collectible movie car that’s actually affordable. And it is true to life: Enzo indeed had several Peugeots.
The reason for Il Commentadore’s affinity with French cars has been lost over time. Rumor has it that it stemmed from the time his sister-in-law, who lived in France, showed up in Modena with her Peugeot. There’s also an Italian connection, in that Peugeots like the 403 and 404 were designed by Pininfarina, the design house that also penned some of the most beloved Ferrari models.
Be that as it may, old Enzo was a certified peugeotist. He owned at least three, the first as a daily driver, later 504s as a driver, until his death in 1988. He also insisted on using Peugeot station wagons as support vehicles for the Scuderia racing team, which means you can find photos of white Pug cars with partial F1 racer bodywork strapped to the roof.
This car is a mid-1950s berlinetta with modest power and reserved styling. Really, this is what Peugeot does best, compared to the wild and woolly antics of the flamboyant Citroën. A Citroën is Paris Fashion Week, while a Peugeot sedan is more of a Saville Row business suit with a French accent, discreet and ready to get to work.
Less really is more, thanks to this car’s sleek Pininfarina styling and judicious use of chrome. Under the hood is a 1468cc inline four with approximately 65 horsepower, a four-speed manual transmission and a column-mounted shifter. That’s not very Ferrari-esque in terms of output, but when hit with the right French-Italian flair it’s enough.
Speaking of which, this car also comes equipped with a rear-mounted hydraulic handbrake that can lock the rear wheels to make on-screen driving look a little more dramatic. The setup would allow Adam Driver to sit at the wheel as Enzo while a hidden stunt driver applied the handbrake.
In itself, this is a fun and interesting car that is ideal for a weekend in the city. The fact that the car comes from a movie car adds a bit of icing on the cake, especially since Peugeot ownership plays an unexpected and long-lasting role in the Enzo Ferrari story.
The auction ends on February 18.
Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, BC, Canada. He grew up on British cars, came of age in the golden age of Japanese sports compact performance, and started writing about cars and people in 2008. His special interest is in the intersection between man and machine, whether it concerns the racing career of Walter Cronkite or the half-century-long obsession of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to constantly buy Hot Wheels.
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