Peugeot 308 RC Z coupe to enter production

When Peugeot rolled out its striking 308 RC Z coupe concept at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show few suspected such an aggressive model could be spawned from the humble 308 and even less would have assumed the car was destined for production. According to latest reports Peugeot has confirmed the car for production and it could appear as early as next year’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

One of the car’s key backers is Peugeot’s new CEO Christian Streiff, whose fondness for the original concept is also one the main reasons it’s entering production, reports Auto Motor and Sport. The final production version is due in showrooms in early 2010 and is expected to be styled almost as aggressively as the concept. Expect to see a rakish profile, pumped fenders and a prominent nose and grille.

Like the concept version, the production car will ride on a lightened chassis but will still be based on the 308 hatch. Expect to see the same strut suspension up front and torsion beam at the rear. The most likely engine option will be the same 1.6L supercharged engine from the smaller 207 RC (also shared with the Mini Cooper S) but power is expected to be boosted to around 220hp.

Peugeot 308 RC Z Concept