Double-bubble roof and rear screen is a key part of the RCZ style signature.

The Peugeot RCZ has a tough job ahead.

Aside from establishing itself as a stylish and classy sports coupe, the RCZ must also help to change the perception of Peugeot from a maker of competent but largely uninspiring cars, into a forward-thinking creator of desirable and dynamic automobiles.

Tall order? Yes, perhaps - but the RCZ might just be good enough to deliver.

It lays claim to a string of firsts:

The RCZ is the first Peugeot to wear the new Lion corporate identity and also the first model in Peugeot’s new ‘Hors Serie’ range (officials were cagey about what’s coming next). Uniquely, it is also described as the first Peugeot to bear a ‘name’ (I think of it more as a string of letters) rather than a number.

I drove petrol and diesel versions of the strikingly styled 2+2 at the launch in Spain over a 240 km test route which featured some challenging mountain roads and found both derivatives to be extremely capable, and more importantly, lots of fun.

The 1.6-litre 200 bhp petrol model (not available in the UK from launch) packed sufficient punch (275 Nm of torque to be precise) to stretch the well-sorted chassis, but the RCZ never put a foot wrong. Handling and roadholding were exemplary and the power delivery was silky.

In contrast, hustling the heavier diesel RCZ required a slightly different driving style but that did not to detract from its charm. It lacked the front strut brace of the petrol model but the handling was still neat and the 340 Nm of torque and 163 horsepower delivered smiles aplenty and 0-62 in 8.2 seconds against 7.5 for the petrol model.

Comparisons to the Audi TT are inevitable given the RCZ’s proportions and fast roofline and I got the distinct impression that Peugeot officials didn’t mind the car being mentioned in the same breath as the well-established and highly successful premium German product.

On the design front, I was not alone in noticing another German influence in the RCZ’s haunches, which bear a strong resemblance to the classic VW Karmann Ghia.

The RCZ will be built by Magna in Austria and Peugeot expects to sell 17,000 units in its first full year of production (2011).

UK prices start at £20,450 for the 156 bhp petrol Sport model and top out at £25,050 for the 200 bhp GT.

Build quality, fit and finish is of a high standard and the pricing looks keen so it’s hard to see how the RCZ can fail to make a positive impact on the coupe market as well as Peugeot’s brand image.

Check out more pictures of the Peugeot RCZ launch in our photo gallery.

DS3 looks like fun - and it is

There was a big build-up to the launch of the DS3. We first saw the DS Inside concept car in a darkened room at the 2009 Geneva Show where flickering and pulsating lights teased us with only occasional glimpses of the entire car.

Perhaps sensing our frustration, Citroen then invited journalists to take a closer look at the concept last June in the UK. This time, we were able to pore over the car (which was virtually production ready) and its interior in a well-lit space.

And now, some 9 months later we finally attended the UK Launch and got behind the wheel.

I’m delighted to say that the build-up was merited and the DS3 was definitely worth the wait.

Despite having seen the car presented at various motorshows in a range of different colour combinations, the array of vehicles presented at the John Cass Sculpture Gallery in Goodwood still made a dramatic impression.

All were 1.6-litre, 150 bhp petrol models in top spec DSport trim with a standard OTR price of £15,900, but the DS3 range kicks off with a 1.4-litre, 95 bhp DSign variant at £11,700.

I tried a yellow and white combo and was delighted to find that the driving experience bore little or no relation to the mild-mannered Citroen C3 with which the DS3 shares a platform.

The DS3 was an absolute hoot to drive. The engine fizzed with exuberance and the well-balanced chassis felt like it could even cope with more power (stay tuned for the 200 bhp DS3 Racing homologation special). Could it be that Citroen Rally star Sebastien Loeb was involved in the development in the same way that Michael Schumacher had once been with Ferrari in the fine-tuning of its road cars?

We’ve booked the car for a longer test but early signs are that this Citroen really can give MINI something to think about.

The floating roof design treatment and the multitude of customisation options coupled with the car’s fun driving characteristics mark the Citroen DS3 out as a hot hatch with style and substance.

Check out our Citroen DS3 photo gallery for lots more pictures from the launch.

The new Alfa MiTo Cloverleaf

The MiTo has been a major contributor to Alfa Romeo’s recent sales success in the UK. Over 6000 were sold in 2009 and total sales were up by more than 50%.

It represents Alfa in the highly competitive B-segment which grew by 1.5% last year to become the largest segment, now accounting for 27% of total UK sales.

The Alfa Romeo MiTo is now available with the Fiat Group’s innovative MultiAir engines. As well as the 135 bhp variant which we’ve already experienced in the Grande Punto Evo, Alfa has installed a 170 horsepower unit in its new range-topping Cloverleaf model.

We tried both versions but focused our attention on the latter to see how much impact the extra 35 horses would have on the MiTo’s performance and handling characteristics.

We got underway with the baby Alfa’s DNA gizmo set at N for Normal driving mode and found the car to be quite responsive but flicking the switch to activate D for Dynamic transformed the MiTo from a relatively docile basset hound into an eager terrier tugging at its leash.

The throttle response became instantaneous, the steering almost intuitive and the handling is more direct thanks to the Synaptic Damping Control sports suspension which is unique to the Cloverleaf model.

Ride quality was generally comfortable although it crashed a little over poorer surfaces.

Top speed on the Cloverleaf model is 7 mph more than for the 135 bhp model at 136 mph, while the 0-62 time of 7.5 seconds shaves off seven tenths.

At £17895, the MiTo lands squarely in Citroen DS3 and MINI Cooper S territory although Alfa claim that it fares very well when the prices are spec-adjusted.

Alfa’s aim for the MiTo is for it to be ‘the sportiest compact car in the world’. Its combination of style, power and performance certainly makes it a strong contender.

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Aston Cygnet enjoys undeniable quality... but would Bond really drive one?

Ability of a car to provoke discussion and debate has reached new heights (or depths) with the Toyota iQ-based Aston Martin Cygnet.

You’ve probably already made your mind up about the £50,000 runabout: a logical step to bring money in and average fleet emissions down; or the ultimate betrayal of a sporting marque.

There are reasoned arguments for and against a sensible Aston Martin hatchback, but I can’t help wondering if there isn’t a third route to be considered.

Assuming an Aston Martin Cygnet is all about the interior craftsmanship, why bother with cars at all? Just 12 months ago at the height of the economic downturn, Bentley craftsmen resorted to making furniture to keep the workshop busy. Aston Martin could do the same.

Imagine an Aston Martin luxury sports boat in the harbour at St Tropez. Or Aston Martin furniture filling the Chelsea flat of many an affluent gentleman. Meanwhile out on the roads, the ‘purist sports cars’ moniker remains intact.

What’s more, an Aston Martin chest-of-drawers has an exceptionally low CO2 emissions figure…  

BBC presenter Fiona Bruce was among guests at the GQbyCitroen launch evening

Don’t the good people at Citroen ever sleep? Less than 48 hours after the hectic Geneva Motor Show press day, they unveil another new car in Central London. Called the GQbyCitroen, it’s the “fantasy motor” of men’s magazine GQ, realised by Citroen.

Following the DS High Rider and surprise reveal at Geneva of the Survolt, my weary brain was half expecting a tarted up DS3 with GQ decals. In actual fact it’s a unique GT with a Mark Lloyd design and Savile Row interior. 

Hosted by GQ, the launch party had a faintly eclectic guestlist. The deadpan comic Alexei Sayle, rock star supreme Nick Mason, the gorgeous Fiona Bruce… Midway through explaining to my missus why the GQbyCitroen’s wing mirrors were too small for a production car, she noticed David Ginola nearby. The charming French football legend quickly reduced her to a swooning mess. I’ll, er, finish explaining pedestrian-friendly crumple zones… later…

The point of the GQbyCitroen? As a company rep put it, the problem is thus: in France, around one in every six cars sold is a Citroen. In the UK, it’s closer to one in 20. The plan is to become an ‘aspirational’ brand, hence the tie-in with a stylish magazine. They want cars that will make people swoon, to fall in love with Citroen.

I already love where Citroen is going. Just so long as they don’t reveal any more new cars before Monday. Some of us need to get some sleep.