Driving Torque

It's All About The Motors.

Driving Torque

This is the YouTube page for Driving Torque - Articles, reviews and opinions about cars and all things automotive.
Go to www.drivingtorque.com

Driving Torque
Review by Ben Harrington from Driving Torque of the Suzuki Jimny SZ5
Suzuki Jimny Review
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_tBEwl0WmNRw
Watch as a Model X performs its Celebration Mode Easter egg in the snow
Tesla Model X Celebration Mode
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_Z04UK1MRXjE
This is what the exhaust tail pipe of a Ford Focus RS sounds and looks like when you accelerate quickly.
2017 Ford Focus RS Exhaust
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_QkKOE0J4baE
Another gratuitous exhaust video for you. This time it's the behemoth that is the Mercedes GL63 AMG.
Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG exhaust sounding immense
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_S7TdJrBe8aw
This is a Porsche Cayman in Sport Plus mode with a Sports exhaust, showing the exhaust revving and moving as the car is put through its paces. Great footage of over-run and even the heat haze from the hot engine.
Porsche Cayman PDK Sport Plus
YouTube Video UCOtVdrU-nsf_4BZwMKZ08NA_8l_WTgJB0sk
Subscribe
  • Home
  • About
  • Ben’s Car CV
  • DTQ Partners
  • Contact

Peugeot RCZ R THP 270 – Driven and Reviewed

March 13, 2015 by benharrington Leave a Comment

peugeot_rcz_r_

Peugeot RCZ R

When we drove the RCZ last year, it ‘only’ had 200bhp on tap, and there was always that sneaking feeling that this curvy coupe had more to offer. Bring on the RCZ R; there used to be a general rule of thumb that front wheel drive cars could handle anything up to 250 bhp before the inherent torque-steer made them downright dangerous. This has 270 bhp. Oh.

More on that power-hike later, though, lets look at what the RCZ R consists of. Hugely necessary facelift aside, this RCZ shape has graced our streets since 2010, and what a shape. The minimal glass housing and its symmetrical position as close to the nose as the tail makes for such a pleasing silhouette, and an RCZ wouldn’t be an RCZ without that undulating rear window. Visually, the ‘R’ element hasn’t ruined that graceful shape with huge, lairy arches or spoilers; it’s 10mm closer to the ground than the standard model and there is a bit of a wing on the boot, but it’s just subtle enough to look like it was always meant to be there.

peugeot_rcz_r_rear

 

What is the ‘R’ bit, then?

Other visual clues regarding the R’s intent are a pair of shiny twin exhausts, wider front and rear tracks culminating in R-only 19” wheels on each end, and some of the most colossal, grooved front brake discs this side of a WRC car. If stopping power of that calibre is needed, you kind-of get the feeling that this isn’t some half-baked effort – Peugeot mean business.

peugeot_rcz_r_clock

 

Inside the RCZ R, it’s much the same story. You get the chunky red stitching and a quality timepiece on the dash, just like the standard RCZ,  you unfortunately also still get the not-quite-special-enough steering wheel and a clutch pedal that’s so high it requires some serious getting used to. The R touches include a metal plaque on the hand-brake surround and some lightweight, slimline convex sports seats that are actually far more comfortable than their appearance would suggest.

peugeot_rcz_r_plaque

 

Race-car style starter buttons find themselves in so many cars these days that they’ve kind of become the norm for anything with a hint of performance about them. It’s a bit of a let down, then, when a car with all the promise of the RCZ R comes with a key and an ignition barrel to turn it in. I know it’s only a small insignificance, but when you’re up against some pretty stiff competition, sometimes the small things matter.

peugeot_rcz_r_seats

 

Rolling thunder

Turn this key, though, and everything’s right in the world again. Yes, the rumble of engine is force-fed into the cabin via some clever acoustics, but you won’t care about that, all you’ll care about is that your coupe is making a noise that no 1.6l four-pot has any right to yield. This thing makes no apologies for being thunderous and shouty.

peugeot_rcz_r_grille

 

Now, back to the subject of just how 270bhp feels through a set of front wheels. To get that sort of power out of a 1.6, you’d be forgiven for expecting some large dollops of unfriendly lag whilst the bin-lid sized turbo got itself whirring, but it just doesn’t come. Engine technology has moved on and turbo propulsion is so much the norm that with a satisfying woosh, the RCZ R responds quickly to what you ask of it. Possibly a little too quickly; plant that right foot over-enthusiastically and you’ll soon discover that the clever engineers at Peugeot may have all-but eradicated the dreaded turbo-lag, but torque-steer is still alive and well, and if you don’t hang onto the wheel, bushes and walls will soon become very familiar bed-friends.

What’s called for is a more subtle, feathering approach to acceleration – feeding power in, in easy-to-digest, bite-size chunks, that’s how you get the most out of the RCZ R.

peugeot_rcz_r_wheel

 

Massive stopping power

Those wider tracks, coupled with some tuned suspension mean the RCZ R’s handling is as pinpoint accurate as ever and it really does change direction with the minimum of fuss. The ride could definitely be described as firm, but there’s no painful sounding crashing and banging over bumps, and even longer journeys aren’t overly taxing. It does get a little skittish over a bumpy country road if you get some speed up, though, and that exhaust note could possibly do with a mute button for motorway driving. The good news is that if you do over-cook things in the go department, those colossal brakes the RCZ R comes with are more than up to the task in the stop department, reigning things in with minimal fade. That’s reassuring when you’re in something that’ll hit 60mph in 5.9s and go on to a limited 155mph, making this the most potent Pug ever.

peugeot_rcz_r_brakes

 

Should I buy an RCZ R?

So, what price all this beauty and performance? Well, it’s £32K, and a little bit. Let’s not ignore the elephant in the room here – I know what you’re thinking – ‘I could afford a decent Audi TT for that‘, and yes – you could, and it would perform nearly as well as the RCZ R (6.0s – 62mph vs 5.9s), whilst being even more ozone-friendly (137g/km CO2 vs 145g/km), but would it look or sound as good, or turn as many heads – I think not.

By Ben Harrington

Specifications: Peugeot RCZ R THP 270, Transmission – 6 spd manual, Layout – Front engine, FWD, Power – 270bhp, Torque – 330Nm, Emissions – 145g/km CO2, Economy – 44.8 mpg combined, Maximum Speed – 155mph limited, Acceleration – 5.9s 0-62mph, Price – £32,250 OTR, £33,430 as tested.

For full details, go to; http://www.peugeot.co.uk/showroom/rcz/r/

For all your Peugeot needs in the North West, go to; http://www.jjcookson.co.uk

Filed Under: Coupe, Road Test, Sports Tagged With: Audi TT, Coupe, Peugeot RCZ, peugeot rcz r, RCZ, rcz r, Sports, turbo

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Driving Torque

I'm Ben Harrington and I'm a car lover, freelance motoring journalist and family-man (I'll let you decide the order!) I started Driving Torque in 2010 to share my love of all things motoring with the wider world. Since then, … continue reading

Driving Torque’s Instagram Posts

driving_torque

Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the las Got to be honest, I didn’t think much of the last Honda HR-V. This goes back today, though, and I think I’ll miss it. #honda #hondahrv #carsofinstagram
Another highlight from this week’s SMMT Test Day Another highlight from this week’s SMMT Test Day was this; the unashamedly macho Ford Mustang Mach 1. A full review will follow later this year, hopefully. #ford #fordmustang #forduk #carsofinstagram
What do you do when you own two VW vans? Why, you What do you do when you own two VW vans? Why, you go and drive the latest VW Multivan, of course! The Multivan is not, I repeat, is not based on a van, though. Got it? Good. #vw #volkswagen #notavan #carsofinstagram
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Driving Torque’s Twitter Feed

Ben Harrington Follow

Freelance motoring writer and Editor of Driving Torque. @NGMWcars member. Classic VW owner. Husband and father to a wonderful wife and two amazing young ladies.

DrivingTorque
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
23 Jun

https://buff.ly/3ObO4Z5 #honda #hrv #review #hybrid

Reply on Twitter 1540033698485133313 Retweet on Twitter 1540033698485133313 1 Like on Twitter 1540033698485133313 Twitter 1540033698485133313
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
22 Jun

https://buff.ly/3ObO4Z5 #honda #hrv #review #roadtest

Reply on Twitter 1539671061008191492 Retweet on Twitter 1539671061008191492 1 Like on Twitter 1539671061008191492 1 Twitter 1539671061008191492
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
22 Jun

https://buff.ly/3ObO4Z5 #honda #hrv #review

Reply on Twitter 1539565356506816514 Retweet on Twitter 1539565356506816514 Like on Twitter 1539565356506816514 Twitter 1539565356506816514
drivingtorque Ben Harrington @drivingtorque ·
16 Jun

Anyone struggling on @TicketmasterUK for Taylor Hawkins tribute concert - try following the link from the email they sent you. That just worked for me after over an hour of being thrown out of the site 😃

Reply on Twitter 1537366165013643264 Retweet on Twitter 1537366165013643264 Like on Twitter 1537366165013643264 Twitter 1537366165013643264
Retweet on Twitter Ben Harrington Retweeted
yorkshiremsf Yorkshire Motorsport Festival @yorkshiremsf ·
15 Jun

We’re excited - a little over a week to go until the Yorkshire Motorsport Festival

Tickets still available if you follow the link below👇🏽

https://www.ymsf.net/buy-tickets

#Motorsport #Festival

Reply on Twitter 1536972026304507906 Retweet on Twitter 1536972026304507906 12 Like on Twitter 1536972026304507906 18 Twitter 1536972026304507906
Load More

© 2022 · DrivingTorque.com · Site designed and built by Kobestarr.com