Visitors to this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed will be treated to a sneak preview of the Peugeot RCZ R sports coupé, derived from the RCZ Sport racer but sufficiently civilised to be used as an everyday road car.
It has a revised version of the 1.6-litre THP engine with forged, 9.2:1 Mahle pistons and polymer-coated con-rod bearings that's rated for 199kW at 6000rpm and 330Nm from 1900-5500rpm, driving the front wheels via a six-speed manual 'box and a Torsen differential to reduce torque steer.
Peugeot quotes 0-100 in 5.9 seconds and an electronically limited 250km/h top speed, while a new fixed rear boot spoiler improves high-speed stability without increasing drag.
New dampers with stiffer springs and revised camber angles increase the track and lower the ride height by 10mm; the RCZ R runs on special two-tone 19" rims wearing Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 235/40 radials, over red Alcon 'Peugeot Sport' four-piston callipers and 380mm ventilated discs.
BLACK LEATHER AND ALCANTARA TRIM
Inside, a smaller steering wheel and short-shift gear lever with aluminium knob set the tone, together with special Peugeot Sport bucket seats, trimmed in a mix black nappa leather and alcatara with red contrast stitching - as are the dashboard, leather steering wheel, gear lever gaiter, door panels and armrests.
And fixed to the chromed centre console with four visible screws is a brushed-aluminium aircraft-style certification plate with a red R, to remind you that this is the hottest street-legal Peugeot yet offered to the public.
The RCZ R will make its official debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September and will go on sale in Europe in the first quarter of 2014. Peugeot SA has promised that there will be an RCZ R on display at the Johannesburg International Motor Show in the second week of October this year, with the South African release scheduled for mid-2014.