Peugeot 308 RC Z concept to go into production

As part of the CAP 2010 project and the acceleration of the marque's product offer, Jean-Philippe Collin, director general of Automobiles Peugeot, announced at the Lisbon Motor Show that the 308 RC Z concept car will be going into full production.

The final production model and its name will be unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, two years after the concept car was first presented to the public and will then go on sale in the spring of 2010.

The 308 RC Z concept car is a new Peugeot interpretation of driving pleasure. The car is a 2+2 coupé, with true versatility and, at the same time, a style that is modern, original and well-balanced.

Attention initially focused on making the vehicle as light as possible by the use of numerous aluminium components: the two roll-over protection bars that separate the passenger compartment and give shape to the exterior styling, and the use of a polycarbonate rear windscreen and a large number of carbon fibrebody parts.

Using the 308 as a blueprint offered a number of benefits. It made it possible to adopt a particularly stylish front design; to share a large number of components already developed for the hatchback, simplifying the production of this coupé; and to capitalise on the hatchback's strong points, which become even more effective in the 308 RC Z concept car. Its taut lines and streamlined design ensure an efficient aerodynamic specification, improving performance, fuel consumption and therefore helping to protect the environment with reduced CO2 emissions.

The stylish design of the front of the 308 blends brilliantly with the proportions of this concept car. The end result, firmly sitting on 19-inch wheels, suggests power, strength and dynamism, like an animal ready to pounce.

The specific shape of the rear window required the use of polycarbonate instead of glass.

The two curved sections emerging from the roof give the vehicle an original appearance and contribute greatly to its aerodynamic efficiency.

The design of the tailgate assists the airflow over the rear of the vehicle, while the shape of the rear of the vehicle provides sufficient down force onto the rear suspension to eliminate the need for a rear spoiler, preserving the purity of the vehicle's lines.

Two centrally mounted exhaust pipes are integrated into the wraparound lower rear panel. The rich metallic grey exterior body colour is created by a special process using finely milled metallic particles. This gives the impression that the vehicle has been formed from a single block of metal, enhancing the purity of the car's lines and the styling of the bodywork.

The fascia panel in 308 RC Z concept car has been taken directly from the hatchback. A pure, elegant and fluid design, it allows a particularly clear view thanks to its sloping design which complements the vehicle's large front windscreen.

The 308 RC Z concept is powered by a 1.6-litre THP engine developed from the EP6DTS engine designed and developed via the collaboration between PSA Peugeot Citroën and the BMW Group, where it is fitted to the 207 RC, with a power output of 128 kW. It has maximum torque of 280 Nm produced at a low engine speed (300 Nm in overboost).

The engine is coupled with an entirely new six-speed manual gearbox. Its maximum speed of 235 km/h is attained in sixth gear and it takes seven seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h. Fuel consumption is very reasonable with 6.7 litres/100 km in the combined cycle, or just 160 g/km of CO2 emissions.