Peugeot RCZ Forum
Register a free account today to become a member. It's free! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, connect with other members through your own private inbox and take part in competitions!
Latest video of RCZ R at Nürburgring by Misha Charoudin
- Thread starter indoldn
- Start date
Claret63
Active Member
Great video, by someone who can actually drive the R to its full potential, impressive.
You need to be pretty aware of what’s going on around you. It’s like a high speed supermarket car park. 🫣
I am surprised there aren't more crashes than there is. Driving standards are terrible and that's people in performance cars that think they can drive.
Also the amount of people that are going there to drive at maximum speed and won't wear any safety gear.
Even if there’s a breakdown or something it looks as dodgy as hell. The variety of cars and abilities makes it scary to me. You might be tackling things in a manly fashion then some geezer flies up behind you in something far faster never mind what’s going on in front of you.
I’ll get my car thrills in Asda 🫣. You still need your wits about you but it won’t be life threatening
Claret63
Active Member
Didn’t he say it was running on cup 2 tyres at the start of the video? Unless I have misunderstood?
He did. That's why I said it would be interesting to drive an R with Cup tyres on.
It would make more advantage of the car in the correct conditions, just not very sensible for normal road usage.
RCZ-R
Well-Known Member
The Cup Michelins are too extreme for the balance of the stock R. Yes, at first you get more grip. But he correctly points to the deficit in the suspension setup amplified by the grip overkill. As he says, when you go for the Cups, go for another suspension setup. I agree with him.
On the PS4S or similiar tyre the R would dance more around the corners on the Nring. Still the video impressively showed how capable the R is on the race track.
Back in the days when it came out the R had almost no coverage on race tracks when tested. It was more about, oh look, there is an upgraded hairdresser's RCZ with more umph, let's throw it a bit around the back roads, it is fun, yay!
But they hardly ever went to the race track with it. And the R is so much fun on a race track. I can only recommend to give it a try.
The video shows a lot what the R can do. I think Mischa liked it somehow.
On the PS4S or similiar tyre the R would dance more around the corners on the Nring. Still the video impressively showed how capable the R is on the race track.
Back in the days when it came out the R had almost no coverage on race tracks when tested. It was more about, oh look, there is an upgraded hairdresser's RCZ with more umph, let's throw it a bit around the back roads, it is fun, yay!
But they hardly ever went to the race track with it. And the R is so much fun on a race track. I can only recommend to give it a try.
The video shows a lot what the R can do. I think Mischa liked it somehow.
Claret63
Active Member
I think he definitely liked it, but watching it over I think it just lacks power on the straights, which is noticeable I think from his expression at times.
I am guessing not many R are taken on the ring because of the limited power compared to other cars, he certainly does a fantastic job, but I am certain I would be shit if I took mine to the ring, if I was to take mine on a track, I would pick something a lot smaller than the ring, so as to not embarrass myself!
SilverGTi_6
Member
- Joined
- Mar 6, 2017
- Messages
- 222
- Reaction score
- 22
- Points
- 18
Some of the Aussie mags tested the thp200 on track when it was first released. I remember on the relatively short track (low 1min lap times) the WRX of the time was over 2s faster 0-100 When tested, but was over 4 seconds slower around the track. They said the cornering grip and brakes on the RCZ were very impressive.
The R is next step up. Having owned two 308 GTis over the years, they were quite extensively tested on track when released. They were quicker than the STI, Golf R, i30N, Meg RS etc and in one test quicker than the RS3. I’d imagine the R would be similar pace. They’re slightly heavier, but also slightly wider / lower. Quite capable.
The R is next step up. Having owned two 308 GTis over the years, they were quite extensively tested on track when released. They were quicker than the STI, Golf R, i30N, Meg RS etc and in one test quicker than the RS3. I’d imagine the R would be similar pace. They’re slightly heavier, but also slightly wider / lower. Quite capable.
apple3337
Active Member
Misha thought it was a 2 litre engine! He seemed surprised when the owner told him it was a 1.6.
So... engine power can't be too bad. Plenty enough for me that's for sure
So... engine power can't be too bad. Plenty enough for me that's for sure
RCZ-R
Well-Known Member
I never went to the ring with my R. I preferred smaller racing tracks where one can hone its own skills while keeping overview on the whole track. Ring is somehow to crazy for me. Some call it the best race track in the world. If I could pick, I'd go for Spa.
From what I heard there was or is a racing series in Germany where modified RCZ R went for racing. They had bumped the engine to about 300 bhp and tweaked the suspension. Kept the stock brakes as they were good enough for racing. I'm sure internet has it somewhere about it.
If you push the R hard on a straight, you might sometimes miss a bit of power. It just shows that the chassis could take more. I mean overall grip from stock is already at high. Then you have proper brakes on the R. I wonder how 300 bhp would work on the R as a daily. Never had a chance to give it a try.
From what I heard there was or is a racing series in Germany where modified RCZ R went for racing. They had bumped the engine to about 300 bhp and tweaked the suspension. Kept the stock brakes as they were good enough for racing. I'm sure internet has it somewhere about it.
If you push the R hard on a straight, you might sometimes miss a bit of power. It just shows that the chassis could take more. I mean overall grip from stock is already at high. Then you have proper brakes on the R. I wonder how 300 bhp would work on the R as a daily. Never had a chance to give it a try.
Claret63
Active Member
Interesting post, I would like to try 300bhp too, do you think though having the extra hp , it would make it quicker to it’s max speed or faster in general, wouldn’t it require more torque also? My thinking is capacity gives you the torque to reach higher speeds faster? Given the R is only a 1.6 isn’t torque limited.
Interested also on your comment how 300bhp would work as a daily, surely there wouldn’t be that much of a difference it’s only 30 bhp?
RCZ-R
Well-Known Member
@Claret63
Honestly, my R never felt like being on the weaker side of things. It pulled really strong up to the limited 155 MPH. Actually this was the first thing I noticed compared to my previous Megane RS, the acceleration at +120 MPH up to limited 155 MPH. This is where the Meganes struggled a lot. Also the famous 100 to 200 kmh pull was much quicker in the R (around 14 sec).
After I unlimited my R, it pulled up to 167 MPH where the 6th gear hit the limiter. On a straight. So there was sufficient power for a pull.
On a small race track the short gearing in the R supported a spirited drive as you always were in fitting revs to pull out of corners. I recall one session on a small race track where there were only 2 race-specs Minis (something from 2010ish, I dunno them well), a 911 stock, a full race-spec Honda Integra Type R and me with my R, riding on winter tyres (yes, it was around March, I know, it was stupid but funny) fighting each other. The Integra was the quickest. No chance at all. It even pulled strong on straights. But I could keep up with the Minis and ate that 911 easily. There was a corner which you could take flat out at 140 kmh with the R on winter tyres while I spotted others lifting or even briefly grasing the brakes while tackling that corner. While doing this corner in the R it felt planted and safe, still very quick and frightening if you did not trust the car and its abilities. My buddy on the passenger seat almost puked over the seat, haha.
I regret never coming back to that race track on PS4S. It could have been a nice surprise with the R. The brakes took the beating easily. Those tyres not so well.
Coming back to the 300 bhp. I reckon it would give the R even a stronger edge over other cars while doing pull ups to higher speeds. Not so much above 120 MPH but up to 120 MPH. For the usual drive on B roads, the uphike in 30 bhp would be noticeable but not so much as the stock power is already very well balanced in this car. Torque-wise I don't know what the gearbox and clutch can take. 340 is stock. Maybe going up to 380 would be the max and reasonable to do. Not more than that.
Honestly, my R never felt like being on the weaker side of things. It pulled really strong up to the limited 155 MPH. Actually this was the first thing I noticed compared to my previous Megane RS, the acceleration at +120 MPH up to limited 155 MPH. This is where the Meganes struggled a lot. Also the famous 100 to 200 kmh pull was much quicker in the R (around 14 sec).
After I unlimited my R, it pulled up to 167 MPH where the 6th gear hit the limiter. On a straight. So there was sufficient power for a pull.
On a small race track the short gearing in the R supported a spirited drive as you always were in fitting revs to pull out of corners. I recall one session on a small race track where there were only 2 race-specs Minis (something from 2010ish, I dunno them well), a 911 stock, a full race-spec Honda Integra Type R and me with my R, riding on winter tyres (yes, it was around March, I know, it was stupid but funny) fighting each other. The Integra was the quickest. No chance at all. It even pulled strong on straights. But I could keep up with the Minis and ate that 911 easily. There was a corner which you could take flat out at 140 kmh with the R on winter tyres while I spotted others lifting or even briefly grasing the brakes while tackling that corner. While doing this corner in the R it felt planted and safe, still very quick and frightening if you did not trust the car and its abilities. My buddy on the passenger seat almost puked over the seat, haha.
I regret never coming back to that race track on PS4S. It could have been a nice surprise with the R. The brakes took the beating easily. Those tyres not so well.
Coming back to the 300 bhp. I reckon it would give the R even a stronger edge over other cars while doing pull ups to higher speeds. Not so much above 120 MPH but up to 120 MPH. For the usual drive on B roads, the uphike in 30 bhp would be noticeable but not so much as the stock power is already very well balanced in this car. Torque-wise I don't know what the gearbox and clutch can take. 340 is stock. Maybe going up to 380 would be the max and reasonable to do. Not more than that.
Claret63
Active Member
In all honesty, I wouldn’t want more power with the R being front wheel drive, I think it struggles to put power down sometimes on certain roads, especially in the UK, even some of our motorways are dire!
I have been to Germany a few times and your roads are night and day compared to the UK.
I think the R is perfect power wise where it is.