Potent Pug coupe still looking 'strong'

The most powerful production Peugeot ever remains on course for Australian sale early next year.

The RCZ R is a 194kW 1.6-litre turbo-petrol limited-edition version of the double-bubble coupe, which has been developed by the French company’s motorsport division, Peugeot Sport.

Only 200 are scheduled to be built at Magna Steyr in Austria and no more than 20 will head here. Pricing is expected to be pitched somewhere around $75,000.

The RCZ R is the first road car Peugeot Sport has got its hands on, but several more ‘R’ models seem certain as it becomes a tuning shop in the same way Renaultsport develops hot cars for Renault.

“R is still on our list -- we are still keen for that car,” Peugeot Automobiles Australia General Manager/Director Bill Gillespie told motoring.com.au. “This market does respond well to performance vehicles so yep we are definitely going after that car.

“The early feedback from France is that we are on the list to get it, but the volumes are very small globally… I wouldn’t say we definitely have the car at this point but it does look strong.”

Gillespie estimates the R would arrive in Australia in early 2014. It would be the second performance halo model for the brand in months, following on from the 208 GTi hot hatch, which is scheduled for local launch in July.

“The sort of people who buy this car are looking for a unique, one of a kind ownership experience and the RCZ R being one of just 200 hand built cars in the world will have massive appeal,” he said.

The R will also arrive about nine months after June’s launch of the facelifted RCZ coupe, which Gillespie confirmed would continue to include a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel-manual variant, despite expectations it would be discontinued.

“It is dealer order only and without doing anything around that car we sell around three to four per month,” Gillespie explained. “I personally really like the car and got my way and kept it in the range.”

The RCZs and 208 GTI are part of a hectic Peugeot new model roll-out over the next 14 months. It starts with the 5008 people-mover in May, also includes the 2008 mini-SUV in October, Malaysian-built 408 sedan in quarter four and the next-generation 308 small car about mid-2014.

The diesel-electric hybrid 508 RXH HYbrid4 and 3008 HYbrid4 are also almost certain to arrive before the end of 2013.

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