TWO YEARS AFTER unveiling the attention-grabbing 308 RC Z concept at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, Peugeot will officially unveil the production version of its curvaceous Audi TT alternative at this year’s Frankfurt Show in September.
The nomenclature has changed in the transition from concept to road car, with Peugeot simply calling it the ‘RCZ’.
Ken Thomas, Director of Peugeot Automobiles Australia, has also confirmed that the RCZ will debut in Australian showrooms in the second half of 2010.
The first model in the company’s history to drop the signature zero or double-zero naming convention, the RCZ is also a significant departure from the brand’s usual offerings.
A low-slung 2+2 coupe, the RCZ is worlds apart from the hatchbacks and sedans that are the French carmaker’s staple models.
Peugeot is clearly shooting for a new demographic with the RCZ, saying that the car is “aimed at enthusiasts who are particularly discerning with regards to driving enjoyment”.
Coinciding with the announcement of the car’s debut, Peugeot has also released a number of teaser images showing the finished product. If it looks familiar, that’s no accident - Peugeot has retained the concept’s svelte shape and intricate detailing, and all of the car’s sheetmetal appears identical.
Peugeot Automobiles Australia’s Ken Thomas said the RCZ represents a huge opportunity for the brand in Australia.
“The RCZ got a lot of attention when it was unveiled as a concept car,” he said, “and we are confident that the car will receive even more attention on the road.
“Peugeot has definitely maintained the spirit and flair of that original design.
“We will be offering high performance petrol and diesel engines when the car arrives here.
“To say we are excited about the RCZ coming to Australia is an understatement.”
Recent Spy photos of a prototype caught testing in Europe (below) confirm that the production RCZ won’t bear much external difference to the concept.
Mechanical details have yet to be released, but the general consensus is that the RCZ will be front-wheel-drive, with a range of turbocharged petrol (and possibly diesel) engines under the bonnet.
