Meaner RCZ arrives Down Under

Peugeot has launched the facelifted midlife update of its RCZ sports coupe Down Under. The aggressively styled 2+2 goes on sale next month with a single $58,990 pricetag covering its three variants.

The ‘ask’ is $4000 up on the outgoing model. Peugeot continues to offer identically priced 147kW/275Nm petrol manual, 115kW/240Nm petrol auto and 120kW/340Nm turbo-diesel manual variants with a standardised equipment listing.

The latest version of the RCZ adds xenon headlights, integrated sat-nav and 19-inch wheels to the outgoing model’s standard specification. There are also interior upgrades (more leather trim) and ‘assured’ [fix priced] servicing into the deal. Peugeot claims the added value approaches $6000.

Heated, electric sport seats in a choice of white or black, Bluetooth connectivity and piano black detailing are now also standard.

Peugeot says the options list for the RCZ (and other models) will be trimmed moving forward. Local boss, Bill Gillespie, says as a rule Peugeot Automobiles Australia is seeking to deliver more value in its new and updated models – hence the higher level of standard specification.

A new front-end that eschews the ‘proboscis’ of the original RCZ delivers the new car a cleaner, more aggressive ‘face’. Like the 508, and 208 more recently, there’s a large parallelogram-shaped grille opening and gone is much of the fussy detailing. Changes to the rear are more subtle but also seek to clean-up the RCZ’s act.

Save for the larger wheels however, mechanically, the new RCZ is unchanged from its predecessor. The petrol engines both displace 1.6-litres with the top-performer featuring variable valve timing and lift on both inlet and exhaust camshafts.

The diesel is a particulate filter-equipped 2.0-litre unit. All gearboxes are six-speeders – the auto a ‘smart’ Aisin unit with manual function but no steering wheel paddles.

The local spec for the new RCZ has also done away with the alloy-look roof arches of the outgoing model. These are now finished in matt black and lend the car a more purposeful, hunkered-down look. Other detailed changes include black painted brake calipers.

The company has sold around 600 RCZs locally since the model’s September 2010 debut. It says it hopes the new car will see sales lift and then settle at around 25 units per month. The lion’s share will be automatic petrol models, says PAA boss Gillespie.

Tipped to drop the turbo-diesel late last year, the rare oiler sporty remains on the books but is now an order-only proposition, Gillespie confirmed.

“RCZ is not a volume car for us. [But] It builds our brand, builds our image. [So] For us and our dealers it’s a very important car – a halo car,” Gillespie told motoring.com.au.

“We’re bringing the car to far more prominence… As we refresh the brand [with cars like RCZ and new 208 GTi], we’re looking for a slightly more male focus.

“And we want to use cars like the RCZ to give the brand a harder, more performance-based image.

“Our belief is the Australian consumers respond pretty well to a brand with a performance image and we think that Peugeot needs to tell people about our performance heritage,” he stated.

Peugeot campaigned racing versions of the RCZ at the Bathurst 12 Hour production and GT race earlier this year. Gillespie expects the company will be back at The Mountain in 2014, though perhaps fielding racing versions of the new 208 GTi.

He also reiterated PAA’s intention to offer the limited-run high-performance RCZ-R to customers in 2014.

“We have our hand up for the cars and we hope to have them on sale in early 2014,” Gillespie said.

“They are scheduled for build in November. We don’t have firm numbers but we’d like to get 20 at least,” he said.

The hand-fettled RCZ-R features an uprated version of the same 1.6-litre used in the standard RCZ and MINI Cooper models.

Output is rumoured to have been boosted to close to 200kW. If confirmed, this figure will easily eclipse the 160kW MINI Cooper S JCW GP Edition which the Brit brand recently brought to Oz.

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