Peugeot RCZ

2009

The Peugeot RCZ was a distinctive and award-winning 2+2 sports coupé produced from 2009 to 2015, known for its eye-catching design, often compared to the Audi TT. It featured a unique "double-bubble" roof and rear window design and was assembled in Austria by Magna Steyr.

Key Features and Design

The RCZ stood out in its segment for bringing a concept car's styling almost unchanged to production.

Design: The most notable feature is the sculptured double-bubble roof and rear windscreen, a design inspired by Zagato, which gave the car a handcrafted and unique appearance. It has a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout and frameless doors.

Interior: The cabin has a sporty, low-set driving position and features a good amount of standard equipment, including dual-zone climate control, leather trim, and Bluetooth connectivity on most models. The rear seats are very cramped, best suited for luggage or small children, which makes the surprisingly large boot (384 litres, expanding to 760 litres with rear seats folded) very practical.

Handling: Reviewers praised the RCZ for its sharp handling, minimal body roll, and enjoyable driving experience, especially in the higher-powered versions.

Engine Options and Performance

The RCZ was available with a range of punchy petrol and diesel engines. The 1.6-litre petrol engines were part of the Prince engine series, which had some known issues with timing chain tensioners that required regular maintenance.

The high-performance RCZ R model, launched in 2014, featured a Torsen front differential and uprated brakes to manage its significant power, making it the most powerful production engine of its size at the time.