DRIVING an eye-catching car can be a disconcerting exercise. Do other drivers stare at our long-term test 607 because it's a gloriously styled, executive saloon with high exclusivity value (because so few are on the roads)?

A car made all the more striking by the dazzling Monaco blue metallic paint of our temporary replacement following a little contretemps between a kerb and the front fog light of our long term 607?

Or do they stare to see who on earth would splash out the better part of £25,000 on a Peugeot, when similar money buys an Audi A6 2.5 TDI, BMW 525d or Mercedes-Benz E220 CDI Classic?

Specifying these German contenders on a like-for-like basis would, of course, see their list prices disappear over yonder horizon, although they reappear in wholelife cost terms thanks to their stronger forecast residual values. Such worthy fleet science means little to the majority of company car drivers who are more interested in maximising car park kudos via their car's image, driving performance and toys, while keeping an eye on company car tax.

The 607 SE scores well on three out of four of these factors. But the question remains whether a smooth ride and tidy handling (especially for such a large car), a generous list of standard equipment (including electrically adjustable front seats, climate control, laminated side windows, parking aid, cruise control, automatic headlights on, and tyre pressure sensor), impressive fuel economy, and good carbon dioxide emissions are enough to overcome the image.

It's not that Peugeot has a poor image — merely that in the executive sector Germany rules supreme, Sweden offers a passable second place, and France can be a step too far. For company car drivers susceptible to Gallic flair, however, the 607 2.2 HDi SE offers genuine rewards. The common rail HDi unit provides for easy cruising, and while it may not be as quiet as the Rover 75 diesel, you don't finish trips with the stereo at volumes fit for an artillery regiment's reunion.

A glance at the standard equipment brings peace of a different kind — the peace of mind delivered from the security advantages of laminated side glass, a feature deemed essential to score maximum points in the New Car Security Ratings 'theft from the car category'.

Yet 607 owners have to be more cautious about following the most basic security procedure — locking the car — because when you lock it the wing-mirrors fold in. This clever design for tight city streets unfortunately means that any thief walking through a car park can identify an unlocked 607 merely by checking whether its mirrors are in or out.

The automatic 607 2.2 HDI emits 193g/km, which will qualify for a benefit charge of 23% (including the 3% diesel penalty) of P11D price in the next tax year. It's disappointing that with a particulate filter the car has not met Euro IV emissions to escape the diesel penalty, but it still represents a tax saving for the majority of company car drivers next year. And drivers paying for their own fuel may be interested that a recent £50 fill-up saw the trip computer predict 746 miles before my next stop at the pumps.