It seems that these days Peugeot has been undergoing a bit of a renaissance so to speak.  What I mean is that the cars they are producing seem to be getting nicer interiors, better profiles and doing a little better in the depreciation stakes.  Not only that, but clearly new designs are starting to get green-lit.  Just like this one.

This is the new Peugeot 308 RC Z.  Last year it was just a concept, now it is going into production.  There’s no confirmed name yet, but the RC Z is a safe bet for the time being (no doubt dropping the 308 moniker to avoid comparisons to the hatch) and it has been created to offer some direct competition to the Audi TT and other premium coupes.

So what about the differences from the concept to the actual vehicle?  Well, the crazy double-bump polycarbonate rear window won’t feature – however the Bell and Ross dashboard stays (so a touch of class in there).  Overall, it is one of the few cars where the car that rolls of the production line is pretty damn close to the concept.

It’s got the usual Peugeot coupe styling of a leading front and an extended rear tail.  There’s a lower spoiler, chrome radiator grille and fresh headlights.  There’s a rear diffuser on there, a twin pipe exhaust and that slope will remain as it absolves the car from the need of a fancy (and/or stupid looking) spoiler. As this is still in concept stage at the moment, there are a few things that will change.

As with the concept, the production vehicle will remain a 2+2, meaning extremely small back seats suitable for golf clubs but almost certainly not for people. One of the more bizarre features of many coupes, that is.  Why stick in seats when you’re almost sure to never use them?

Stats are probably going to be a 1.6 litre turbocharged engine, 170+ BHP channelled through the front wheels and 0-60 of around seven seconds.  It’ll be placed around the £17,000 mark when released.  Would I buy one?  I’m not sure.

Why is that, I hear you ask… Well, let’s put it this way.  It isn’t exactly the most masculine looking thing out there is it?  If the Nissan 350 Z is a real man’s muscle coupe, this is perhaps more of a ‘Women of Sex and the City’ type of show here.  Not that it’ll be a bad vehicle mind – I think it will actually be quite good.  It won’t knock the Audi TT off its perch though, not least given that it has a new diesel version coming out soon.

In my last article, I took a look at ‘green’ cars that you could buy - stuff that if you drove it every day it wouldn’t try too hard to stuff up the environment on your way to work. What I’m going to do in this article is exactly the opposite. Why, I’m sure you’re wondering?

The simple answer is that apparently we’re all ignoring the government’s advice (read massive taxing) and going for larger cars. This is proven in the figures that show that:

‘Car buyers opting for larger vehicles made up 11.5% of all sales in the first ten months of 2007, compared to 9.5% in 2006. This is the first time that larger cars have represented more than one in ten used cars sold in the UK.’

So, in that case, what should you buy? What I’d like to offer here are not just large cars, but rather performance cars that the government (and some of the rest of the world) seem to hate. The reason being, I quite like them. I like the roar of a big V6, the throb of a V8. Not only that, but right now it’s a great idea to get one.

Yes, I know. I’ve already written about the barmy-as-hell huge road tax costs that you’ll pay for a more polluting vehicle. I’m also aware that in some places petrol has gone well above 105p per litre. However, the savings you make on buying a bigger engined or sports-performance vehicle (and the fun they will provide) should certainly make up for it. So, without further ado, here’s what I’d recommend.

COUPE
Audi TT
What a great, now classic car this is. Granted, there’s a new model, but come on, the old one still looks really interesting. These days, you can get a 2001 model 1.8T 225 Quattro (that means 4 wheel drive) for around £8,000. This, by anyone’s imagination is a great bargain. All you need to look out for really is that it has been regularly serviced, as it is difficult to get at the oily bits. Imports also may be an issue, as they might not put up with UK weather too well.
Mazda RX-8
This is one of the few cars on the road that comes with a Wankel rotary engine. What does that mean? Well how about revving beyond 9,000rpm with super-smooth power delivery? Yeah, that’s sure a great benefit. The RX-8 is an interesting looking beast, and it sounds great. The bad points? Well, the (ahem) running costs might scare you. The engine is only 1.3, delivers 2.5 performance and drinks like a 3 litre. Drive one though, I found a 192 on a 2004 for only £7,500.

SALOON
Alfa Romeo 156 GTA
If you’re looking for something with Italian flair, four-wheel drive and a monstrous amount of power then look no further. This is a car that is serious. Bite your head off serious. How about a 3.2 litre engine. Why not try 250bhp. Not sure about the torque delivery? This car will pull away smoothly from fourth gear. The interior looks classy without being over the top and you can get lovely leather heated seats. As usual, in Alfa style, you get cowelled instruments that only the driver can see. This stops your passenger from screaming when they see you’re doing 140mph. The bad points are pretty much summed up by also saying (much like the good points) that it’s an Alfa. You should be reassured that the 156 was the turning point - with the release of this car the UK dealerships and service centres were proved to be much better. However, check the head gaskets, the 60,000 service intervals and just about everything else. I’d certainly recommend a full main dealer service history. I found a 156 GTA for slightly over £8,000.
BMW M3
This motor is an absolute legend. If you ask anybody, they’ll tell you that one of the most revered BMWs ever made is the M3. This thing is fast. Seriously fast. It is one of the few cars in the world that you won’t mind pulling up at Tesco’s in, before roaring off to hit the Channel Tunnel and then heading on to the Nurburgring. It is a serious driving machine. Faults? Not many. One thing to certainly bear in mind however is the running costs. This is a supercar. If it hasn’t been treated as such, it might be a bit of a grumpy motor. Alongside that, imagine getting less than 18mpg. But what can you do? I found an M3 Evolution with tonnes of kit for only £5,995.

I’ll certainly be following this with some other ‘types’ of motor that you might well be interested in, but in the meantime, explore the options I’ve offered here. You might well find a hidden gem that you didn’t realise was out there, or even that it was available in your budget.