with no more than 180 horsepower. Peugeot's RC comes in two flavours: Diamonds (red) and Spades (black). The RC Spades uses a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder
powerplant good for 180 horsepower, which will soon find its way into a range-topping 206 to rival Renault's Sport Clio 2.0. The RC diamonds uses a reworked 4-cylinder 2.2-litre HDi block
with a new turbocharger, which will likely power the future 407 Coupe. It's almost as peppy as the more conventional gas-powered-block, producing 175 horsepower. The engine sits transversely atop
the rear axle, creating a rear-engined diesel-sports-car. If you're scratching your head, remember that the large majority of new cars sold in France are diesels.
With both cars tipping the scales at an anorexic 2000lb (things like the carbon fibre monocoque and ceramic disk brakes
definitely help in this respect), the engines provide enough mojo for sub-6 second 0-60mph sprints and a top speed of 143mph. Also nice is the 48 and 31mpg economy in the Diamonds and Spades,
respectively, one of the advantages afforded by a low, aerodynamic stance (the RC is 35cm lower than a 307).
Both cars are equipped with a 6-speed electro-hydraulic manual gearbox operated via a sequential
control lever on the central transmission tunnel and buttons on the steering wheel. Besides being very red, the interior also seats four and features plenty of leather, stainless steel, aluminium and carbon
fibre eye candy.
The exterior is simply gorgeous, which, coming from Peugeot, is not a big surprise. The low-slung
'look', the steeply-raked windshield and dog-leg A-pillar, the smooth curves and typical angular headlights, and even the piggish snout protruding from the front give it just the right attitude. Only the
rear comes up a little short; there just isn't enough glass.
The biggest shortfall of these cars, however, is that they will never be produced. The engines might
move on to future things, but the car as a whole will remain a concept. What a darned shame.
They're sleek, they're chic, they're French and they will supposedly out-blast a