Pug perfection from resurgent Peugeot: new RCZ coupe hits the spot

Pug perfection from resurgent Peugeot: new RCZ coupe hits the spot

IT’S not very often that a manufacturer springs a genuine surprise but, judging by expressions on the faces of the people I drove past at Friday’s press launch of the Peugeot’s new RCZ coupe, the French company has done just that.

The motoring press knew that the RCZ was on its way as far back as 2007 when the concept car dazzled crowds at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But the surprise for those “in the know” was just how close the production car’s appearance is to that original concept, right down to the exposed aluminium roof rails and contoured glass roof panels.

For the rest of us, the surprise comes when we realise that a car that we suspected was an Audi or Porsche from a distance is actually wearing the Lion badge of Peugeot.

It looks that good

The RCZ is a car with more poise, grace and aggression than a vehicle in its price bracket has any right to.

Until the 200bhp version arrives in September, we have to make do with the 156bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol and 163bhp 1.6-litre HDi diesel engines driven here.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

No matter. After coming face-to-face with the RCZ for the first time, Peugeot looks good for its promise that the RCZ will return its once much-lauded driver’s car credentials.

Two specifications of RCZ are available from tomorrow.

Cheaper to buy and run than its coupe rivals

Prices start at £20,450 for the THP 156 Sport and currently top out with the £24,550 HDi 163 GT. And thanks to Peugeot’s pricing structure, customers who put performance ahead of trim will be able to buy a Sport spec 200bhp version for the same price (£22,750) as the leatherlined 156bhp GT later in the year.

That’s £3,500 less than the less powerful two-litre Audi TT and £1,000 less than a VW Scirocco.

Just as the Peugeot’s exterior makes it more than a match for established coupes, its interior sits comfortably alongside its premium rivals.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Neatly stitched leather trim and cowled dials are the order of the day.

The sports seats are comfortable and supportive in equal measure.

Only the rear bench is a waste of good seat trim. I wouldn’t wish a ride on that vertical-backed instrument of torture on my worst enemy.

The Cotswolds beckoned for my first drive in the RCZ and with just me in the otherwise spacious cockpit, I was keen to get going. First, the 156bhp petrol version.

More subtle than a seat-of-your-pants hot hatch

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

I find myself sitting a little higher than expected behind the steering wheel of the squat coupe but the chassis balance feels fantastic. The suspension offers a remarkably supple ride while maintaining steadfast control over chassis movements.

The RCZ’s low centre of gravity allows it to feel fantastically light on its toes.

On a flowing section of open road it makes seamless transitions from one corner to the next. Fluid and comfortable. It offers a more balanced approach than a seat-of-your-pants hatchback.

The 156bhp 1.6-litre THP engine has a fairly flat, gruff note but offers spirited performance. Peugeot claims an 8.3-second sprint to 62mph. A top speed of 132mph will also see the RCZ’s TT-style active rear spoiler brought fully into play. It rises to 19 degrees at 53mph to aid downforce and 34 degrees at 96mph to aid stability. Clever stuff.

Petrol-engined RCZ is the hot pick

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The 156 THP is an easy engine to exploit, thanks to 180lb.ft. of torque providing a wide spread of power. It manages to return an impressive 40.9mpg on the combined fuel cycle and 155g/km, making the RCZ one of the cheapest long-term ownership propositions in coupedom.

A slight air of disappointment comes later in the day when I sample the diesel-engined RCZ which should offer even lower running costs, thanks to its 52.3mpg and 139g/km claims, and more performance thanks to its 163bhp and 240lb.ft. of torque.

The diesel feels immediately more urgent, lunging up the road with greater conviction but Peugeot claims a sprint to 62mph just down on the petrol car at 8.7 seconds.

The real shortfall comes in the loss of that fantastic chassis control.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Peugeot has attempted to counteract the added weight of the diesel engine by firming up the suspension and the result is a less settled ride.

Gone is that flow, replaced by more aggressive balance more easily distracted by surface imperfections.

Set to be an instant hit

It’s a shame, but the RCZ has already proved enough.

Make no bones about it: this is the car that returns Peugeot to the top of its game.

The French marque has rediscovered its dynamic mojo and, in petrol form at least, the RCZ should be an instant hit.

But the best is yet to come...when the RCZ 200 THP arrives in September.

Bring it on!

Related topics: