The Peugeot RCZ is a radical departure for Peugeot, from its looks and emphasis on handling through to the fact that it is the first Peugeot production car not to have a '0' in its name.
Beneath the skin you'll find 308 architecture, suspension and running gear. All heavily modified, of course - springs dampers, braces, track width and so on are all changed.
Exclusive Peugeot RCZ v Audi TT v VW Scirocco v Renaultsport Megane 250 Cup pictures
Under the hood of our example is a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine producing 154bhp. It costs £22,750.
We're pitting it against the cheapest Audi TT, the front-drive 197bhp 2.0T FSI (£26,370), the VW Scirocco GT 2.0 TSI (£23,615) and Renaultsport's Megane 250 Cup (£23,160).
Inside the cars
The RCZ, inevitably, draws its interior from the 308's, so the architecture is similar inside. There are just enough highlights and details to make it feel more special than a regular hatch.
There's some lovely leather work in places, but that contrasts heavily with some cheaper plastics. The rear seats are also little more than foam padding on a rear bulkhead that can be folded down to increase boot volume. Headroom is tight and the squab so short that child seats will be difficult to fit.
That said, it's better than the TT, in which access and headroom are even worse. Despite this, the Audi is arguably the more practical of the two. It has a hatch rather than a separate boot and those rear chairs split and fold.
Both look miserable compared with the Scirocco, whose separate rear seats are narrow and tightly sculpted but are also big enough for two adults to sit behind two adults. The seats split and fold and its only a shame the interior ambiance and perceived quality trail that of the TT.
The Renault is clean and neatly designed up front, and two adults could squeeze in the back, though it's relatively claustrophobic.
At the wheel
Along with the Scirocco, the TT shares the best driving position, though the RCZ's is fine too, and the Renault is beyond serious criticism.
Ride comfort is subjective, as one man's comfortably soft is another's dreadfully wallowy. Suffice to say none of these cars is harsh.
The Peugeot displays occasional bump-thump through an otherwise isolated ride of middling firmness, while the Scirocco is firmer and more tightly controlled but no less comfortable.
