This weekend marks the worldwide racing debut of the facelifted Peugeot RCZ Coupé at the Bathurst 12 Hour endurance race at Mount Panorama, Australia. Not only that, but this weekend also marks Peugeot’s return to the Bathurst 12 Hour for the first time after a 21 year hiatus.
Back in 1992, Aussie driver, Peter Brock, headed a three-car team of Peugeot 405 Mi16 entries that tackled that year’s Bathurst 12 Hour. The nine-time Bathurst 1000 winner may have only brought his Peugeot home to a 14th place finish outright, but 21 years later the racing Peugeot name rides again.
Returning in an official capacity, a two-car French Peugeot Sport racing team is comprised of two stunning RCZ Coupé entries to challenge the Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour. The 2013 Peugeot team features a combined French-Australian line-up of Jason Bright, David Wall and Andrew Jones joining the three French Peugeot drivers of Stephane Caillet, Bruce Jouanny, and Julien Rueflin who will try steer the new cars to victory for the first time.
As the Peugeot 405 racer did back in 1992, the RCZ Coupé represents the latest Peugeot has to offer in its admittedly scarce production car racing linage. The team are also the only factory-backed entry in the field (backed by Peugeot Australia), and will race in the invitational 1 class for vehicles up to 1 600 cc.
Interested to know what Peugeot have done to race prepare the RCZ race cars? Well, details are scarce, but Peugeot have worked the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine to produce 190 kW and 290 Nm of torque, which is up from 147 kW and 275 Nm of torque in factory trim. Peugeot have also lightened the body so that the RCZ now tips the scales some 120 kg less than standard.
Of course suspension, brakes and the obvious aerodynamic enhancements have also been upgraded and added. Overall though, the preparations may not sound like much, but all three French drivers have driven the previous generation, diesel-powered factory RCZs in the Nurburgring 24 hour endurance race, so they should be capable of getting the most out of the car’s balanced handling. We look forward to seeing the results of the Peugeot Sport racing team. We’ve always had a soft spot for the Peugeot RCZ Coupé.
