Peugeot RCZ: The French you don't expect - Sportscars

Gone are the days when prototypes were seen in salons, which were simple exercises in style, almost completely divorced from reality and production.

Today houses show stylistically original models, and for some time almost completely faithful, but mass-produced copies end up in dealerships. Example? The LRX concept evolved into the Range Rover Evoque. Or, to enter the subject of these pages, Peugeot 308 RCZ.

In Frankfurt in 2007, the first dummy of what was to be the sporty evolution of the quiet 308 appeared in XNUMX. It is now the most aggressive car on the French list and undoubtedly one of the worst Peugeots in history.

We may ask ourselves why this move, given that of all the rampant animals in the automotive landscape, the lion seems to be the most peaceful. But this is not entirely true: traditions in the field supercar but certainly not the results in competitions, especially with small GTI and its derivatives, at rallies, at the Paris-Dakar and Pikes Peak. Not forgetting to win the 24 2009 Hours of Le Mans with Race 908.

his line does not leave indifferent, but what about the behavior on the road?

Engines and driving performance

Between three engines, 200-strong - the brightest. There power obtained by squeezing the four-cylinder 1.6 THP (Turbo High Pressure) with a result that lives up to expectations. But it can become even more obvious if you walk a few pounds less.

Peugeot was not to be expected tough and purely athletic and RCZ can do little to convince those behind the wheel otherwise.

We must overcome the temptation to make cold judgments, because in the first meters it is steering from this the nose may rise. With a clean cutout in the lower part, the steering wheel suggests more of a racing vocation, but the reaction to hand movements on the crown is very “French”, so it is a little diluted. No dry go-kart responses, even when compared to the average urban family cars, the leap is clear.

The first positive surprise comes when it’s time to change gear, because the grafts are fast, this time without the characteristic transalpinism. The transition from one attitude to the other is crucial, contrasting enough to provide the right dose of vitality to a less pulled mechanic than conventional cars. Then everything is seasoned with a short lever stroke and clutch pedal, which correctly makes you feel your presence.

Moreover, the changes are accentuated by a rather bad engine sound, perceived more from the inside than from the outside, where the noise is more than civilian. This is the result of research during the design phase that modifies the rumble perceived at the threshold of 3.000 rpm. Because if the eye wants its part, the ear doesn't want to be unmatched.

Interior trim and functionality

The RCZ is more than just a Sunday car to be put on the track. handyman... Not at all in a road crisis, there are still preferences.

Its very shape suggests an ideal habitat. If it is difficult to find a straight line in the body to enjoy, you need to find a path with the same characteristics. It doesn't matter if it's going up the Stelvio or down the Ziesa motorway.

In the strait, as in fasting,undercut of 200 resumes (more professional than other versions) inspires considerable confidence.

The chassis and engine seem to be tailor-made for these routes, with an immediate change of direction, without transmitting any vibration generated by the road surface inside. What about the engine? It's good to hear that it doesn't hesitate to unleash its full power without any laziness, with an elasticity that you would not expect from a typical piece of clothing. reduction.

design

La Casa del Leone is investing heavily to prove the credibility of RCZ. In the past, Peugeot's attempts to enter a more elite segment have not produced the desired results, and the reason probably lies in the overpoliteness of the 406 and 407 Coupé. A sports car should be bigger than an RCZ, no doubt. In terms of styling, it costs two or three times its price, which we must not forget starts at just over € 30.000, which is a very affordable cost for a model with such specs.

The facial features in front are typical of the family, but there are all those stylistic elements that caught her attention when she was just a mannequin. From code muscular to the roof with two characteristics gobb... Inside, the space is defined by the curved shape of the pavilion, but without that claustrophobic feeling that is characteristic of many sports cars. This may be due to the large doors that facilitate access, with a decidedly less important style of finishes and remarkable brightness (despite the black interior), but the exterior is really nice.