Peppy Peugeot gets an engine tweak from F1
Peugeot has released the fastest road-going car it has ever sold in Australia,with the recent launch of the new RCZ R.
The flagship coupe may look exactly the same as the RCZ it's based on but there's more going on than you'd think after a first glance.
Or, as Peugeot puts it: "Same iconic design, completely different beast."
Considering it's priced from $68,990 plus on roads - $10,000 more than the standard RCZ - it would want to have more to offer but you get a fair upgrade for the extra spend.
The first RCZ R, released in 2010, had 147kW at its disposal. It's been given a big kick in the pants, with its 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbo petrol powerplant now generating a hefty 199kW and 330Nm.
Max torque is available from a wide band of 1900-5500rpm, though max power only kicks in at 6000rpm, meaning it begs to be driven enthusiastically.
The increase in power sees the RCZ R hit 100km/h in 5.9 seconds - almost two whole seconds faster than the standard RCZ - yet the engine uses an admirable 6.3L/100km of fuel.
Peugeot is imported and distributed in Australia by Sime Darby Motors Group.
General manager John Startari said the RCZ R was more than "just a sporty version of the RCZ".
"Developed with Peugeot Sport, the RCZ R has significant engineering modifications compared with the RCZ and was developed as a sports competition model for use on circuits and tracks," he said.
Weighing in at a lithe 1280kg, many of the engineering tweaks were aimed at coping with the boost in power.
The block has been reinforced via heat treatment, new pistons with a grade of aluminium found in Formula One cars were used in a production Peugeot for the first time and polymer coated bearings can allegedly better deal with high cylinder pressures.
The RCZ R is fitted with a six-speed manual transmission, which has also been strengthened and is fitted to an upgraded clutch.
To help it sound the part, the exhaust has been fitted with a "sound system" to amplify the engine.
The RCZ R sits 10mm lower than the RCZ, the front track has been widened and the rear spoiler has been fixed to better aid downforce.
