ONE OF THE leading manufacturers of advanced diesel engines and cars, French Peugeot is now shouting as loud a ever possible: “Diesel is Cool!” To make us realize diesel is useable even for the finest kind of cars, sports cars, the Frenchmen now reveal this excellent looking car, the Peugeot RC Concept Car.

Creating an advanced sports car the body design is important, but right here the technical design and solutions are even more important: The RC is unveiled with two engines, a 2.0-litre petrol or a 2.2-litre diesel and a catalogue of the most advanced technique: 6-speed sequential gearbox - carbon-chassis – double wishbones front and rear – ceramic brakes – 18 inch wheels. Just everything is cool.

The black petrol RC is equipped with a 2.0-litre 180 bhp engine – the same power unit as in the coming 206 and 307 GTI´s, both powerful enough to compete with the new almost 200 bhp GTI´s from Japan.

The red diesel RC comes with a 2.2-litre 175 bhp engine, 5 bhp less, but with the double torque. 202 Nm from the petrol, 400 Nm from the diesel. Perhaps the petrol RC is as fast as the diesel RC at the acceleration lane – but at the test track we believe the diesel-version is the fastest.

...WE BELIEVE THE DIESEL-VERSION IS THE FASTEST”. Today, Monday February 18. 2002 is a historical day – it is for the very first time we have written this very sentence.

FACTS
· Peugeot RC Spade and RC Diamond concept cars
· RC Spade with 4-cyl. petrol engine
· 180 bhp and 202 Nm
· RC Diamond with 4-cyl. diesel engine
· 175 bhp and 400 Nm!
· Midengine design
· 6 speed sequential gearbox
· Carbon fibre chassis
· Double wishbones front and rear
· Brakes: Ceramic discs front and rear
· Wheels: 245/45 R 18 Michelin Pilot Sport
· 0-100 km/h: 6.0 sec.
· Top speed: 230 km/h
· Kerbweight: 900 – 950 kg

Images
1. Two beautiful concept cars from Peugeot – one with petrol engine, one with diesel! And we believe the diesel is the fastest.
2. Black RC – petrol.
3. Red RC – diesel.
4. Technique Advanced all over: Kevlar chassis, racing car suspension in all four corners, ceramic brakes.
5. 0-100 km/h in 6 sec. And a kerb weight under 1000 kg.
6. Cabin power: Gear change at the wheel or between the seats.