VITAL STATS

Peugeot RCZ range £21,210 to £29,995

Max speed 132146mph, 0-62mph 7.6-9s (combined) 38.6-53.2mpg

139-168g/km Pricing for this coupe is much as before, sitting mainly in the £21,000 to £30,000 bracket. But standard kit is more generous, the list now running to an acoustic windscreen and a Visibility Pack consisting of automatic wipers and headlamps, electrochromatic interior mirror, guideme-home lighting and approach lighting on unlocking. Audio and Satnav options are enhanced by Peugeot’s RT6 Connect Navigation system.

Other features fitted across the range include 18” alloy wheels, sports front seats, dual zone air-conditioning, folding rear seat, rear parking aid, deadlocks, selective access locking, an alarm and immobiliser, four airbags, ESP sta- that includes a smaller steering wheel and a short-throw gear lever. how do the numbers stack up? The RCZ’s modern engines should give the car low running costs, and the official 53.2mpg combined cycle economy figure for the 2.0-litre diesel with 139g/ km emissions will be attractive to buy- The RCZ was a car that Peugeot simply had to make – different, practical, fun to drive and drop-dead gorgeous. Plusher trim, the Sports Pack with its sharper handling and extra power are all really needed to make this RCZ complete, but the saving offered over its most obvious Audi TT rival will attract many buyers.

Potential purchasers wanting a more exclusive feel will like all the extras that come with the RCZ. This is the kind of car few might ever have expected they’d be able to own. Exotic, yet accessible, it’s a compelling package – and a fitting tribute to an enduring brand.