Description
Peugeot 403 Commerciale | 1958
Highlights:
– 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine, petrol, manual transmission
– Commerciale estate bodywork with a full-height tailgate
– Mechanically rebuilt, including engine, gearbox, brakes and wiring
– Driven in the Netherlands, Germany, France and Portugal since the rebuild
– Valid periodic inspection
The seller offers for sale this 1958 Peugeot 403 Commerciale, powered by a 1,500 cc four-cylinder petrol engine, paired with a manual transmission. Finished in a light shade, the car is the Commerciale variant of the 403, the practical estate derivative built on the saloon platform with a tall rear body and a large rear opening. It carries a valid periodic inspection, and the seller states that a complete history file is available on request.
The mechanical side of this example has been comprehensively addressed. The seller reports that the engine, gearbox, brakes and wiring have all been rebuilt or renewed. Since that work was carried out the car has been used as intended, with trips through the Netherlands, Germany, France and Portugal. For a car of this age, a record of actual long-distance use after the mechanical work tells a prospective owner a great deal about how the 403 has been maintained and kept.
The 403 holds a particular place in Peugeot’s history. Launched in 1955, it was the first Peugeot styled by Pininfarina, and that partnership shaped the marque’s design language for decades afterwards. The Italian house gave the car a clean, restrained three-box form with a distinctive grille and gently curved flanks, a shape that looked considerably more modern than most of its French contemporaries. It was also the car that established Peugeot’s reputation abroad for sturdy, hard-wearing engineering, and it sold in enormous numbers: production ran to 1966 and totalled well over a million examples across all body styles. In North America the model gained an unexpected second life through television, where a 403 Cabriolet became one of the most recognisable cars on screen.
The Commerciale was the workhorse of the range. Where the Familiale offered a third row of seats, the Commerciale was configured for load carrying, with a squared-off rear section, a high roofline and a folding rear bench that opened up a genuinely useful cargo area. Fewer of these utility versions survive than saloons, since most were used until they were worn out, which makes a presentable example increasingly hard to find. Under the bonnet sits the 1.5-litre four with its wet-liner construction, an engine known for its long-stroke flexibility and unhurried delivery rather than outright power, and matched to the column-shift manual gearbox it gives the car the relaxed, mechanical character that draws people to Peugeots of this era. For a collector looking for something with genuine period utility and real French classic appeal, the 403 Commerciale offers a combination that few other cars of the 1950s can match.
Condition of the bodywork & paint
3 — Good. Bodywork or mechanical repairs needed; drives.
Condition of the interior
3 — Good. Bodywork or mechanical repairs needed; drives.
Technical condition
4 — Very Good. Mechanically solid, with potential for minor servicing.
Overall condition
4 — Very Good. Displays only minimal wear and can hit the road any time.
This item is sold on an as-is basis. The condition of this item is the opinion of the seller and may differ from your own opinion. Photos and descriptions of the listing are for information purposes only.
