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The Peugeot RCZ shows the car maker has the designing chops to create a very desirable automobile.

AT THE 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, French carmaker Peugeot unveiled an eye-catching concept car as a platform to stamp its pedigree in the world of automotive design and engineering.

In recent years Peugeot, the world’s 10th biggest carmaker, had been the target of some rather unfavourable remarks pertaining to its seeming tendency to produce “frumpy” designs for the mass market.

Comparing its offerings, or lack of it, in the same segment with the likes of the VW Scirocco and the Audi TT, those in the higher plane of motoring were wondering if Peugeot had sold its soul to the devil of volume-production!

Fate must have been smiling on Peugeot that day in Frankfurt because that concept car, simply called the 308 RCZ (it was based on the 308 hatchback), created not just a buzz but a whirlwind of interest.

As a result, turning it into a commercial reality as soon as possible became the focus of the stylists and engineers at Peugeot.

At the same time, they also worked at developing a fresher image for the company to complement the new arrival.

In the brief span of three years, they seem to have achieved those ambitions.

The RCZ is out there, a compact 2+2 coupe that looks so elegantly sporty it will surely give its already well-positioned competitors a run for their money.

Those following the progress of the RCZ say it looks almost exactly like the concept, right down to the double-bubble roof and rear window that was inspired by the Peugeot Le Mans car.

To commemorate the launch of the new addition in the family, the company thereby adopted a new motto “Motion and Emotion” and a redesigned “Lion” badge.

And to give the new car its own special identity, the RCZ is the first passenger car by Peugeot that doesn’t use the central zero numbering system for identification (as in 407, 307, etc).

So, has the RCZ rekindled Peugeot’s art of style and driving fun? The jury is still out but response so far has been hugely positive, word being that Peugeot has not only returned to its sporting roots but it has done so with a car that is accessible to younger buyers.

Up close and personal, the RCZ is very impressive.

I was among the motoring hacks invited by Nasim Sdn Bhd, the official distributor of Peugeot in Malaysia, to test-drive the RCZ in Spain late last month.

From what I saw, it exudes style from every angle. The double-bubble roof and rear windscreen, its most distinctive features, seem to add a touch of the surreal to the whole work.

Inside, the interior is posh with some nice touches such as double-stitched leather on the seats and dashboard and a neat instrument panel.

The seats, a cosy wrap-around with integral headrests, are fitted very low, as is typical of most sports cars. This lower seating point was a bit of a concern for me initially as I got into the car.

Sitting in the position set by the previous driver, I could not even get a good view of the front! But I had enough time to manoeuvre it to my requirements and pretty soon it was the way I wanted it to be.

As for the two rear seats – well, they are there but the space is so limited they would be suitable only for short journeys or for a couple of very small children.

The rear seats were included for practical purposes, according to Peugeot. Well, one can never tell when the uninvited family or friend will turn up and ask for a lift, right?

The boot is surprisingly large at 384 litres, and for additional space, the rear seats can be folded down for some 760 litres of space.

For more aerodynamic efficiency, there is a small automatic rear spoiler in the boot. It pops up automatically at a 19 degree angle at 85kph and fully extends to 34 degrees at speeds over 155kph. It returns to the first position at 145kph and folds back when speed is below 55kph.

Fitted with a manual override, the spoiler can be activated to position 2 at the push of a button located on the centre console if the driver wants it up at low speeds.

Taking the long road

The rugged terrain of Elciego in the Basque country of northern Spain was a perfect setting to put the RCZ through its paces.

The course covered a 240km-route of mainly single carriageway roads winding over the hills past the Rioja vineyards and farmlands of Elciego; tiny village lanes; and small sections of the motorway.

The layout was good as it allowed the drivers to really test the RCZ’s power, handling and ride comfort especially when negotiating up and down the hills and twisty bits.

In between reading the map and giving the directions, this passenger could enjoy the beauty of the Basque countryside.

The flag-off point was the Marques De Riscal hotel, an awe-inspiring post-structuralist building designed by world-famous architect Frank Gehry.

Lined up below the hotel’s titanium eaves, it was as if the RCZs were being shown off as a revolutionary advance in style for their maker, just as the buildling was for its creators.

Technical matters

For the test, we got our hands on the 1.6-litre THP petrol model and the 2.0litre HDI FAP turbodiesel, both fitted with six-speed manual gearboxes, for me and my partner.

On paper, the diesel is slated to produce a maximum power of 163bhp at 3,750rpm and a maximum torque of 340Nm, available from 2,000 to 3,000rpm. Fuel consumption is stated as 5.3 litres per 100km in the combined cycle with a CO2 emissions figure of 139g/km.

The diesel engine is equipped with a gear shift indicator that can tell the driver visually the best moment to change gear in order to optimise fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

For the petrol version, the 1,598 cubic centimetre four-cylinder engine combines – in a world first – all of the most recent technologies including the THP and VTi engine. It should push a maximum torque of 275Nm (from 1,700rpm and up to 4,500rpm) and maximum power of 200bhp (from 5,500rpm to 6,800rpm), enjoys good acceleration (0 to 100kph in 7.6 seconds) and fuel economy of 6.9 litres/100km in the combined cycle (with 159g/km of CO2).

Away we go

So does the car drive as good as it looks? Throughout the first leg of the drive in the petrol unit, there was little to complain about, with the car meeting expectations when tackling the hills and bends.

It absorbed the bumps with ease and there was very little body roll when cornering. Steering was responsive with the car going exactly where it was pointed.

The motor had a pleasing sporty chug to it, and even the passenger seat was comfortable with ample leg room.

The diesel variant felt heavier and the exhaust note naturally lacked the sporty crescendo of the petrol’s, but it was a cinch to handle.

Although it was noticeably more nose-heavy, it was equally fun as the petrol model. It has so much torque there was no real danger of being caught out in the wrong gear, not even going uphill.

According to Nasim, the RCZ will be launched in Malaysia either at the end of this year or early 2011.

“At the moment, we are only looking at bringing in the petrol versions of the RCZ,” said Naza Group manager of corporate communications and principal liaison Ashwin Raman.

“As for the transmission, we are still deliberating on whether to bring in the manual or automatic transmission or both.”

At the Peugeot press conference in Elciego, it was pointed out that the RCZ would be marketed as an image/niche model rather than a high volume model, with 17,000 units being the figure for a full year of sales. However, production could be raised up to 20,000 a year if demand was good.

“We expect it to be the same in Malaysia,” Ashwin says.

“As such, we won’t have a high sales target for it. As for the positioning of the RCZ, we will market it to the same consumers interested in the Audi TT.”