An updated version of the Peugeot RCZ coupe has gone on sale in Australia, with a higher price tag the French brand says is justified by extra equipment.
The Peugeot RCZ jumps $4000 to $58,990, moving it closer to the famous sports car it aims to mimic – the Audi TT that starts from $65,450.
Bizarrely, the price of the RCZ isn’t mentioned in the press release, though Peugeot says the car has been fitted with extra gear valued at $5800
Key additions that were previously optional are bigger 19-inch ‘Technical Grey’ alloy wheels, satellite navigation and xenon headlights. No extras are now offered.
Other standard features include leather trim upholstery and sports steering wheel, rain-sensing wipers, power front seats and auto headlights.
There are no mechanical changes for the Peugeot RCZ, so the coupe continues with a choice of petrol or diesel engines with no change in price.
The direct-injection 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol turbo produces 147kW of power and 275Nm of torque when mated with a six-speed manual, or 115kW and 240Nm if the six-speed auto is chosen.
The auto version is nearly a second slower than the manual when accelerating to 100km/h – 8.4 seconds versus 7.5. The self-shifter is also slightly less fuel efficient, using an official 7.3 litres of petrol per 100km compared with 6.9L/100km.
Choosing the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel brings even better consumption of 5.3L/100km, while it splits the auto and manual petrols in the 0-100km/h sprint with a time of 8.2 seconds.
Styling is a significant factor for coupes and Peugeot has tweaked the design of the RCZ.
There biggest change is to the front end, which abandons a large single grille for an upper central grille atop a wider, lower air intake. The headlights are also reshaped.
The distinctive ‘double bubble’ design of the roof remains.
Peugeot Australia has sold 600 RCZs since the coupe launched in 2010, with 70 per cent being automatics.
The company says RCZ buyers have been predominantly female but says it is targeting male buyers more intensively with the new model. The appearance of an RCZ in the Bathurst 12-hour race earlier this year was part of that strategy.
