Well, what a head turner. Walking up to the car a group of teenagers were giving the RCZ a good stare and giving a ‘wowee’ as they walked past the forecourt. This set the tone for my test drive. I reached it and in the gleaming sunshine the black pearlescent paint really did the car justice, it truly is stunning. Very TT-esque, so don’t quite know how Audi feel about the Frenchy’s chasing their tail with this number. Undeniably a good looking car.

Driving this 2 litre mini beast is an intensely thrilling event. You are bombing along, shifting though the gears (a handy light on the dash tells you when to slip into 4th or what have you, which I ignored). The power in this thing is super. I had the 2.0 163bhp HDI GT. No sooner taking it off the forecourt, I was greeted by a mile long hill and I thought ‘Come on then, show me what you can do’ – I was at 70mph with the greatest of ease. Absolutely awesome.

It was comfy, my model had a beautiful leather trim; although this was cheapened somewhat by the shiny plastic radio console. However, the mock-chrome dials do look stylish and coupled with the leather, help advance Peugeot with this car into a more prestige market – the French are pushing all the right buttons to break the boundaries with this motor.

This delight corners well, holding the road firmly in the grip of her tyres. The RCZ’s steel frame is held to the road with reassuring control from front wheel drive that powers you around the bends. A gorgeous driving experience all round. I had a motorcyclist actually slow down as he passed me in a traffic jam and gawp at and into the car. That’s the reaction this car gives. People will stare.

For a stylish and sharp driver, this car is definitely for you. The Peugeot RCZ handles supremely, looks the business and is to summarise - a head turning beauty.

Stats:

Under the bonnet: 1997cc 16v 4cyl TD, 163bhp @ 3750rpm, 250lb ft @ 2000-3000rpm

Transmission: Six-speed manual, front-wheel drive

Performance: 8.5 0-62mph, 135mph, 48mpg, 139g/km

Weight: 1370kg

Price: £22,250

In showrooms: Now

Thank you to Evans Halshaw, 32-34 Hagley Road, Stourbridge - 01384 392 131