Peugeot will use this weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed to unveil the most powerful production car in its 100-plus-year history ? the RCZ R.
The RCZ R uses a new version of the 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder found in the standard RCZ. Given the sexy name of EP6CDTR, it sports a beefier twin-scroll turbocharger, as well as a racing-derived steel exhaust manifold. Forged pistons from Mahle Motorsports help tweak the RCZ R's compression ratio to 9.2:1, while the con rods and their bearings have been strengthened for greater durability.
The results speak for themselves. The 1.6-liter turbo four has jumped from 197 horsepower and 203 pound-feet of torque to 270 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque. Moreover, peak twist is available from 1,900 to 5,500 rpm. Taken as a whole, the RCZ R can hit 60 miles per hour in just 5.9 seconds, a 1.6-second improvement over the standard car. The top speed, meanwhile, has jumped to an electronically limited 155 mph. Adding to the sporty sensations of the new motor is Peugeot's Sound System, which basically pipes intake noise into the cabin, not unlike the Sound Symposer in the 2013 Ford Focus ST or similar technology in the Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Peugeot hasn't just worked under the hood on the RCZ R, it's also devoted a fair amount of time to revising its suspension. New dampers stiffen the ride, while a bigger anti-roll bar sorts out unnecessary side-to-side motions. Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric tires wrap up a fresh set of 19-inch alloys in a cool two-tone design, while the stance is further set off by a 10-millimeter reduction in the RCZ R's ride height.
The Peugeot RCZ R will get its auto show circuit reveal at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show in September before hitting European showrooms in early 2014.
