► New RCZ Vision concept revealed at Paris Motor Show
► And it’s still got a double-bubble roof!
► Is the RCZ really making a comeback?

Of all the names you might have expected Peugeot to unearth from its treasure trove, RCZ would surely be placed pretty low down the list?

Stellantis, the mother of all cost-cutting, bringing back a low-slung coupe/sports car for one of its most mainstream brands? Surely not. But alas, here we are with the new RCZ Vision, unveiled at the Paris Motor Show. 

One of many new Stellantis concepts shown in Paris, Peugeot describes the RCZ Vision as a ‘brand manifesto’ as the French firm once again looks to its past for inspiration. 

Tell me about the design

It’s probably fair to say to say the original RCZ, sold between 2009 and 2015, is one of Peugeot’s best designs of the 21^st century, and much of the coupe’s design ethos remains with this new concept. 

Most prominent is the double-bubble roof, which unlike the original, is now glass from the bonnet to the boot, while the fact it hasn’t morphed into anything taller than the original RCZ is refreshing. Peugeot says the concept is the first with its new ‘feline future’ styling language, with designers saying it has a ‘cat-like presence, leaning slightly forward and ready to pounce’.

Pronounced wheelarches give it a muscly stance, while new horizontal lighting will be Peugeot’s new signature as it once again puts a new twist on the ‘claw’ headlights. The grille is also hidden behind the dotted ‘RCZ’ motif at the front of the car.

Hypersquare interior

Peugeot continues to tease its new interior design, with the RCZ Vision again getting the firm’s oddball ‘Hypersquare’ that’s expected to first be rolled out on the new Peugeot 208. 

Essentially the next generation of Peugeot’s i-Cockpit that’s been used for almost 15 years, it uses transparent LED displays to take a ‘less is more’ approach to the overuse of touchscreens in cars. The main transparent touchscreen can also be switched off completely

What’s powering the RCZ Vision?

But there seems to be a bit more to this than other far-fetched concepts, with Peugeot talking about the RCZ Vision using the new STLA One Stellantis platform. Using solid-state batteries, Peugeot says it can deliver ‘up to 600km [373 miles] of range and deliver 500bhp, all of which seem quite realistic for a modern-day electric sports car.

The solid-state battery is built on a 1000V architecture, with a 10-80 per cent charging taking just 10 minutes.  

STLA One was announced earlier in the year and will become one ‘mega platform’ that will bring nearly alll cars into one scalable architecture, replacing current platforms in time. It’s also designed to accommodate both hybrid and all-electric powertrains.

Peugeot wants to make good-driving cars again

Perhaps except for the new e-208 GTI, Peugeot has moved away from the fun-driving cars of its past, but the firm says the RCZ uses ‘cutting-edge technologies to ‘maximise driving pleasure’. 

It features steer-by-wire – likely to be used on future Peugeots – that adapts the steering ratio according to the vehicle speeds. It means that only small inputs have to be put in for big manoeuvres, as a maximum rotation is less than one full turn, compared to three turns with a normal steering wheel. The RCZ also uses brake-by-wire, with no hydraulic connection between the pedal and brakes. 

Chance of production?

Good question, and one we intend to ask Peugeot executives at the Paris show. It seems as if the RCZ Vision previews a lot of the technologies and features you can expect to see on future Peugeot models on the STLA One platform, while stopping short of confirming the RCZ will continue. 

That said, with Peugeot recently reviving the GTI name for its 208, as well as showing off the E-T16 Concept at Paris, it looks like an RCZ comeback is more likely than it’s ever been.