Peugeot RCZ diesel 2010 review

A three-for-one deal is a key part of the new Peugeot RCZ package. The French company's new hero sports car comes with a choice of three engines, but all with the same $54,990 pricetag.

The great looking RCZ is a two-plus-two coupe with a double-bubble roof design, brushed aluminium door arches and flared guards.

The engine choice is between two petrol powerplants and a single diesel.

Explore the 2010 Peugeot RCZ range

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• Peugeot RCZ diesel 2010 review
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"The uniform price strategy is a great opportunity to make it easier for the customers," Peugeot Automobiles Australia boss. Ken Thomas, explains. "The numbers were so close anyway, we felt we'd make it really simple. We think it's a great idea."

The basic 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine has 115kiloWatts with a six- speed tiptronic automatic gearbox, with 147 kiloWatts available with a six-speed manual. The 2-litre turbodiesel has 120 kiloWatts and also uses the six-speed manual.

"You are pricing up for a high-powered engine or for auto or diesel, so they equalise somewhat anyway. Let the customer decide what they are going to buy," Thomas says.

Peugeot has already sold 60 RCZs, with around 160 planned for delivery by the end of the year and 400 sales in a full year.

VALUE

Peugeot claims the RCZ is unique, with no direct class or price rivals. However, it sits smack in the middle of Peugeot's own 308CC range and is closest in price to the Mazda RX8 ($55,700) and BMW 125i ($55,400). It's $4000 more than the Mercedes-Benz CLC 200K, but $9000 cheaper than the 1.8-litre Audi TT, which it most closely resembles in its radical design, and $13,000 less than the Nissan 370Z.

The RCZ comes with a host of standard equipment, but there is no satnav available yet because of mapping issues. When it arrives it will cost about $3000.

There are three personalisation packs ($3000-$4000) and a host of accessories for the car and to celebrate Peugeot's 200th anniversary as a company, including an anniversary model that will arrive in December costing $62,490. It has carbonfibre wing mirrors and roof, new alloys, black brake callipers and grille, and commemorative luggage and plaque on the centre console with a certificate of authenticity.

The anniversary model will be at the Australian motor show in Sydney in October alongside Peugeot's 908 HDi race car in which David Brabham won the 2009 Le Mans.

DESIGN

This is a unique and radical design that could divide public opinion. Except for the red taillights, it almost looks the same coming as going. But, while the overall design is unique, there are elements of other cars about it.

From the rear, it looks like a Porsche Boxster. From the front it looks like a squashed 308, on which it is based. And that double- bubble roof looks a little like the 1960s Batmobile. It comes in eight colours, but at the press preview this week only the black, grey and white are available. It looks best in white to highlight the roof which is painted black regardless of body colour.

The cabin is a mixture of sophistication and bling and will be familiar to Peugeot drivers. It has a leather-like dashboard and door trim, called Nabuck, that feels and looks soft and rubbery.

Product manager Scott Williams says the man-made material is more resilient to the sun, but customers can have all-leather trim for $1500 if they prefer.

The leather in the sport seats with integrated headrests is a very close match. A nice touch is the bespoke analogue clock sitting in the centre of the dashboard. Trim is highlighted by splashes of brushed aluminium on the instruments, gearshift and pedals and the centre stack has piano black surrounds. The instruments have carbon backing and white needles for a sporty look.

TECHNOLOGY

If the exterior and interior design are a visual feast, the RCZ fairly bristles with technology you cannot see. RCZ is based on Peugeot's 308, but lower (18mm in front and 19mm in the rear), 30mm wider, with a 40mm lower centre of gravity, wider track (44mm front and 64mm rear) stiffer chassis and beefed-up suspension, with the dampers from a 308 GTI.

A lot of work has gone into the chassis and suspension to decrease noise, vibration and harshness, but work has also been done to increase induction noise into the cabin. A box between the inlet valve and turbo has a membrane that vibrates and filters the noise into the cabin through the air vents giving a result is similar to a muted Formula One racer.

Brakes have been augmented over the 308 and the 147kW model gets even beefier stoppers. ESP can be turned off, although intervention is quite minimal. It sits on grippy 18-inch Continental tyres (235mm wide, 45 profile) on 8-inch rims with optional ($600) 19-inch Contis (235 40) on 8.5 rims.

The new turbo, direct-injection petrol engine is a joint development with BMW and features their clever Valvetronic system, with two injectors per cylinder to ensure the ideal mixture of air and fuel for combustion to reduce emissions and improve economy.

Aiding downforce is a boot spoiler that automatically deploys in two stages depending on speed, but can be over-ridden by a button on the centre console. It comes with parking and rain sensors, leather heated seats, climate control, USB input and Bluetooth.

SAFETY

RCZ has not yet been crash tested, but the 308 platform on which it is based has achieved a five-star Euro NCAP rating, so Williams expects the RCZ to do the same. It comes with four airbags and front pre-tensioner seatbelts plus a host of driver aids such as electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, emergency braking assistance, electronic brake force distribution, traction control and hill assist.

For pedestrian safety it has an active bonnet that uses sensors in the bumper to detect a pedestrian impact when the vehicle is moving between 20 and 50km/h. Pyrotechnics lift the bonnet 50-65mm in 0.1 of a second to create a safe buffer above the engine to protect the pedestrian.

While it hasn't been crash tested, it does receive 4.5 stars in the Green Guide for its emissions output of 139g/km for the diesel, 159g/ km for the 147kW petrol and 168g/km for the 115kW.

DRIVING

Peugeot has a proud motorsport tradition with wins in Formula One, the World Rally Championship, Dakar and Le Mans, so expectations of driving performance are high. And the RCZ high-output petrol model doesn't disappoint.

The secret is the stiff chassis. It tolerates high levels of cornering forces and allows quick change of direction. The electro-hydraulic rack-and-pinion steering has a very natural feel and it steers well through corners.

The Continental tyres provide ample grip and you need to give it plenty of boot to provoke understeer or lift-off oversteer. So it feels balanced and poised. The high-output engine features a smooth turbo boost that you cannot detect. It is mated to a six-speed manual transmission which is slick but has a gap between second and third ratios that had it either bouncing off the rev limiter or wallowing.

The 115kW auto model is not available for test, but the diesel steps up to the mark with only marginally more tendency to understeer because of the heavier engine. Brakes have plenty of initial bite and progressive feel.

While the 147kW has plenty of F1 noise, the diesel is very quiet and smooth.

The cabin is pleasant and comfortable, but in steamy Cairns weather, the Nabuck trim and aluminium on the top of the gearshift are too hot to touch. The sports seats have plenty of grip for high-G cornering but are a bit hard for GT cruising. And no family member or friend should be subjected to the "occasional" rear seats which are better suited to luggage.

However, the front seat should still have a quick-release slider so you can access the back more easily. The cargo area is surprisingly big and will fit a full set of golf clubs and more when the rear seats are folded flat.

VERDICT

The RCZ become an icon of motoring style just as the Audi TT has done. It is more than just another hairdresser's car, with dynamic substance to back up its artistic flair.

Peugeot's unusual pricing strategy should make the choice easier for customers who can decide whether they want ease and comfort (115kW), sporty aggression (147kW) or everyday grunt and economy (HDi).

Thomas claims the order book shows early adopters are going for the 147, but he predicts the auto will become the most popular while the sleeper is the diesel. It is just a shame there is no auto diesel available or even planned at this stage.