Peugeot RCZ R

I don't know. I'’ve been at  CAR six weeks and already I'm upsetting the photographers. But honestly, the unavoidable fact that this Peugeot RCZ R is hyper reflective Nera Black is absolutely nothing to do with me: it was on its way to the magazine before I was. So this is two hellos, in a sense.

Turns out the paint is nothing to do with anyone else here, either, as my RCZ is not a press fleet vehicle but an ex-marketing demonstrator. Which explains how it had already covered 344 miles when it turned up on the doorstep. Days of being on display and repeatedly polished presumably also account for the minor swirl marks it’s accumulated on some areas of the paintwork. What was that about black cars and high maintenance? I fear I’m about to find out.

Bugger. Seems I’m also instantly painting myself as something of a moaning Minnie, and I’m not at all mostly(is this the time to point out that the RCZ doesn't have DAB radio? Maybe later, then…). I'm actually massively excited to be running this car, which mixes the common or garden Peugeot image with a frisson of the spectacular and a substantial helping of genuine capability. Or possibly madness .

There are very few cars on sale that offer more bhp per litre than the R’s 266 bhp 1.6 litre turbo. I’m writing this just three days after its arrival, so erring on the side of caution, haven’t exactly been making the most of it. But now I’ve had a quick flick through the manual and discovered no mention of any running in period I’ll be correcting this oversight forthwith. Previous encounters suggest the official 5.9 sec 0-62 mph time hardly does the in gear acceleration justice; I’m Tefl on coating my licence at the weekend.

Then there’s the chassis, thoroughly overhauled for the R by Peugeot Sport, in the racing arm’s first overt involvement with a production road car. That the Peugeot Sport team had a slightly different take on the way the RCZ should behave is obvious if you look at the details of the suspension changes. While the front springs are 10% stiffer, the rear springs are 44% stiffer, and though the rear anti-roll bar is thicker, the front anti-roll is slimmer. Thus a pronounced shift in balance, front to rear. This, plus all that power being delivered to the front wheels alone via a proper limited-slip differential, should prove highly entertaining as we move into winter.

Validating its status as the range topper, standard kit includes satellite navigation, a leather covered dash with red stitching, some fancy leather and alcantara seats, dual zone climate control and enough automation that I haven't yet had to touch the switches for the lights or the wipers. How terribly modern.

I don't have much room left to talk about options, but that's okay because the only extras fitted to this £32,000 Peugeot comprise the £520 metallic paint we’ve already covered and a glamorous £1360 carbon fibre roof as if that provocative shape needed any more attention. With this and the accompanying matte black cant rails, it looks fit for Hotblack Desiato (look it up!). I’ve also not had the best of starts with the RCZ’s sat nav (the ‘fastest’ route from Gatwick to Cambridge is straight through London? Really?), which seems appropriate. It’s not getting hot in here, is it?

Price £32,000
As tested £33,880
Miles this month 287
Total miles 631
Our mpg n/a
Official mpg 44.8
Costs None
Fuel this month £0