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Peugeot RCZ review: Hot and sexy car as fast as it looks..
By Richard Hammond 8/10/2010
I can hear you saying it now: "Hammond you clot, you've already written about the Peugeot RCZ back in May."
And you'd be right because I did, on the 21st to be exact.
But that car was the 156bhp 1.6 THP and the one you're looking at now is the 200bhp 1.6 THP.
You might think that this one is going to be a bit faster. But you'd be wrong.
This more powerful version is as different from the standard car as would be an RCZ fitted with a one-cylinder diesel engine from a dumper truck that you started with a handle.
This car looks just as sexy as the less powerful RCZ and is indeed considerably faster. But there's more to it than that because Peugeot has done a lot of fiddling under the RCZ's sexy body that you can't actually see.
First of all the 200bhp RCZ is fitted with wider and stronger hubs from the Peugeot 407 saloon.
The result is a more precise feel from the front of the car when you're bunging it into a corner, and stacks more grip.
There's also a thicker anti-roll bar at the front that cuts roll (as you might have guessed) and also gives the car quicker reactions.
There's more... The brakes are bigger to cope with the extra performance and the gear ratios in the top three gears have been brought closer together to give the car more Usain Bolt factor in fourth, fifth and sixth gear. The result is that this RCZ feels miles faster than the car we drove in May.
It's in a different league, in fact. Inside, the RCZ 200 is fitted with a smaller steering wheel and a gear lever with a short throw - both of which give this RCZ a much sportier feel.
Top speed of the hot RCZ is 147mph and 0-62mph takes 7.5 sec.
Now the RCZ actually goes as fast as it looks. My only grumble is that the throttle response from the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine is rather abrupt. Fine when you're giving it the beans on a country road but not so good when you're trying to accelerate in town.
I'd love the Peugeot RCZ even if it was fitted with a dumper truck engine because it looks so fantastic.
However, with the extra performance from the 200bhp engine and the chassis changes, this new 1.6 THP 200 Sport is really the only RCZ model you should consider.
THE RIVALS
Audi TT 2.0 TFSI 211
This is the car the RCZ is aimed at. Does everything well but isn't as good to look at as the French car.
By Richard Hammond 8/10/2010
I can hear you saying it now: "Hammond you clot, you've already written about the Peugeot RCZ back in May."
And you'd be right because I did, on the 21st to be exact.
But that car was the 156bhp 1.6 THP and the one you're looking at now is the 200bhp 1.6 THP.
You might think that this one is going to be a bit faster. But you'd be wrong.
This more powerful version is as different from the standard car as would be an RCZ fitted with a one-cylinder diesel engine from a dumper truck that you started with a handle.
This car looks just as sexy as the less powerful RCZ and is indeed considerably faster. But there's more to it than that because Peugeot has done a lot of fiddling under the RCZ's sexy body that you can't actually see.
First of all the 200bhp RCZ is fitted with wider and stronger hubs from the Peugeot 407 saloon.
The result is a more precise feel from the front of the car when you're bunging it into a corner, and stacks more grip.
There's also a thicker anti-roll bar at the front that cuts roll (as you might have guessed) and also gives the car quicker reactions.
There's more... The brakes are bigger to cope with the extra performance and the gear ratios in the top three gears have been brought closer together to give the car more Usain Bolt factor in fourth, fifth and sixth gear. The result is that this RCZ feels miles faster than the car we drove in May.
It's in a different league, in fact. Inside, the RCZ 200 is fitted with a smaller steering wheel and a gear lever with a short throw - both of which give this RCZ a much sportier feel.
Top speed of the hot RCZ is 147mph and 0-62mph takes 7.5 sec.
Now the RCZ actually goes as fast as it looks. My only grumble is that the throttle response from the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine is rather abrupt. Fine when you're giving it the beans on a country road but not so good when you're trying to accelerate in town.
I'd love the Peugeot RCZ even if it was fitted with a dumper truck engine because it looks so fantastic.
However, with the extra performance from the 200bhp engine and the chassis changes, this new 1.6 THP 200 Sport is really the only RCZ model you should consider.
THE RIVALS
Audi TT 2.0 TFSI 211
This is the car the RCZ is aimed at. Does everything well but isn't as good to look at as the French car.
