In the past five editions of the famous Le Mans 24 hours race, Audi has, well, run rings around the French lion.
Peugeot and Audi have battled so closely for top honours in the classic enduro event, it’s almost become like a private fight.
Perfectly presentable, but not every surface is soft-touch and pedal placement isn’t ideal.
The Audi team’s Italian driver, Dindo Capello, once said, “In a circus, it would be relatively easy for a lion to jump into a single hoop or ring, but try to make it jump into four different hoops or rings at one go and it won’t be so easy…”
When it comes to road-going cars, though, Peugeot never competed head-to-head with Audi, with the latter’s models positioned higher up the prestige ladder than Peugeot’s.
Excellent equipment, peerless presentation and logical ergonomics make this a great place.
But now, the sexy Peugeot RCZ allows the French marque to fix its sights firmly on the iconic Audi TT in the turbo coupe segment. So, while the 908 HDI FAP was narrowly beaten by the Audi R18 TDI to the chequered flag at Le Mans in June, Peugeot now has a chance to make up for its loss by “overtaking” the Audi TT with the RCZ in this story.
The current Audi TT was launched in 2006 and recently updated with minor cosmetic tweaks (that you probably won’t notice) and a new engine for the base model, with an additional 11 horses and 70Nm.
Peugeot RCZ’s speedometer is even more style-conscious than the Audi TT’s.
The Peugeot RCZ in this test is the racier variant offering 200bhp and 275Nm (the standard version has 156bhp), so we reckon the pre-facelift TT here, with outputs of 200bhp and 280Nm, is a closer competitor than the post-facelift 211bhp edition.
Ever since its 1998 debut, the Audi TT has been widely considered an automotive icon. The five-year-old, second-generation car is still curvy, but those 17-inch alloys don’t help the TT stand out, especially next to the pugnacious Pug which wears gun metal-coloured 19-inch wheels.
The Peugeot RCZ’s styling is definitely its piece de resistance. Spun off a concept study of the same name from the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Peugeot RCZ has won numerous awards and also critical acclaim.
Its most striking element is that double-bubble roof, inspired by Zagato specials from the 1960s. Aluminium-effect arches accentuate the wild profile.
There is a hint of Audi TT in the Peugeot RCZ design (down to the moveable spoiler on the rump), but the Peugeot’s radical roof clad in carbon fibre and unusual rear windscreen make it look even more exotic than the Audi. The Audi TT is as pretty as ever, but the Peugeot RCZ is even prettier.
Under their bootylicious bodywork, both the Audi TT and the Peugeot RCZ have running gear derived from ordinary models – the Volkswagen Golf in the case of the TT, and the 308 for the RCZ. There are, of course, tweaks to make them “run” much better.
The Audi TT is relatively light at 1280kg due to the extensive use of aluminium in its construction, and remains one of the most agile cars around – even after half a decade in the business.
Peugeot RCZ boot has a 320-litre capacity.
Indeed, the lively Audi is more adept than the Peugeot when hustled enthusiastically on the bends. The lightweight driving controls play a part in this, but the steering is rather numb on the straight-ahead and at low speeds.
The helm does load up a bit as you dial in more lock, though, so it gives you just about enough confidence to hurl the Audi TT into a corner and out again.
Audi TT’s boot has a 290-litre capacity.
The Peugeot RCZ is less athletic. It feels physically larger and doesn’t have the darty stance of the nimble Audi TT when driven hard up a twisty road. But its dynamics certainly feel different from that of prosaic Peugeots, such as the humble 308 it is based on.
However, this RCZ’s steering is also one of the Frenchies’ best efforts in recent memory. It feels meaty and natural in its responses, as well as being accurate, if not quite as alert as the Audi TT’s helm. The suspension does a good job of keeping forward progress composed, offering good body control and eliminating unwanted pitch, dive or roll.
The Peugeot RCZ and Audi TT engines both produce 200bhp and similar torque, but TT’s semi-auto is quicker and simpler to use than RCZ’s manual gearbox, and the Audi TT is over a second faster to 100km/h.
Overall, the RCZ’s behaviour is well-sorted, but compared to its German rival somehow feels heavier (than the 20kg on paper) and clumsier.
With torque-laden engines driving the front wheels, both cars exhibit a tendency for wheelspin when exiting slow corners “fast”, but the standard stability and traction controls do their jobs efficiently and keep things in check.
When it comes to comfort, the Audi TT offers a slightly more pliant ride than the Peugeot RCZ, thanks partly to the two-inch difference in wheel size. The low-profile, high-performance (235/40 R19) rubber of the Peugeot kills the smooth ride typical of French vehicles, but this is not so critical in a sporty machine.
The outgoing 200bhp TT shares its turbocharged 1984cc motor with the Mark 5 Golf GTI and, without the 2011 model’s Audi valve lift system, makes do with 280Nm instead of 350Nm from the newer engine.
The Peugeot RCZ’s “force-fed” 200 horses and 275Nm are on a par with the output of the 2-litre Audi TT, despite a smaller displacement of 1598cc.
There is some turbo lag, but the Peugeot’s mid-range and top end are certainly punchy. The Peugeot RCZ motor also develops a purposeful (lion’s) roar that is more memorable than the TT’s bark.
Their difference in power-to-weight ratio is a mere 2.4bhp per tonne, but the rapid-fire S tronic transmission of the Audi TT enables it to sprint from rest to 100km/h in a scant 6.4 seconds, versus a significantly slower 7.5 seconds for the Peugeot RCZ.
No doubt the 6-speed manual of the Peugeot is more engaging, but no matter how quickly you work that slick, short-throw gearbox, you cannot outdo the speedy Audi dual-clutch.
In theory, both coupes offer two-plus-two seating, but I cannot imagine a pair of grown adults sitting comfortably in the rear seats for more than two minutes. Both cabins have precious little headroom in the back.
They fare better in the front, where the space is surprisingly generous and the driving position is comfortable, apart from the Peugeot RCZ’s upright pedals.
The Peugeot’s dashboard architecture seems to have drawn inspiration from the Audi TT’s, particularly in the design of the air vents. With its solid switchgear and luxurious detailing, the Audi feels classier, but the Peugeot RCZ responds with cool “carbon” meters and a nice clock.
As a premium compact coupe, the TT has a lot going for it – timeless good looks, effortless and exploitable performance, eager handling and a high-quality cockpit. But the Peugeot RCZ strikes a stronger pose and is a funkier companion on the tarmac catwalk.
The Peugeot RCZ is a flashy French TT for the fashionista.
Put another way, the Peugeot provides more style while the Audi has more substance. It’s a photo finish then, but it looks like the French have avenged their Le Mans defeat, albeit by a slim margin.
Audi TT Coupe 2.0 (A)
ENGINE 1984cc, 16-valves, inline-4, turbocharged
MAX POWER 200bhp at 5100rpm
MAX TORQUE 280Nm at 1800-5000rpm
GEARBOX 6-speed dual-clutch with manual select
0-100KM/H 6.4 seconds
TOP SPEED 240km/h
CONSUMPTION 13km/L (combined)
PRICE INCL. COE Not applicable (model year 2010)
Peugeot RCZ 1.6
ENGINE 1598cc, 16-valves, inline-4, turbocharged
MAX POWER 200bhp at 5500rpm
MAX TORQUE 275Nm at 1700-4500rpm
GEARBOX 6-speed manual
0-100KM/H 7.5 seconds
TOP SPEED 240km/h
CONSUMPTION 14.5km/L
PRICE INCL. COE $190,900 (as of August 2011)
Check out the Audi TT
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