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.
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