2014 Peugeot RCZ Red Carbon Edition

‘DN64 MPE’ is one of just 300 Peugeot RCZ Red Carbon cars built and urban legend suggests that standard cars were shipped along with a crate of parts to Aston Martin who then assembled them – and the British firm might also have added its own hand-crafted hide interior. We haven’t been able to verify this but it’s the story the seller was told when he bought the car, and we’d love to hear from anyone who can confirm or deny it!

Despite the name, buyers could choose from either Moroccan Red or Nera Black, with all being fitted with the Vision styling pack as standard along with Onyx Black limited edition 19-inch alloy wheels.

The Black styling pack adds black headlight surrounds, black door mirrors, radiator grille, brake calipers, and matt black roof arches. Two diesel engines were offered alongside two petrol, of which this is the 1.6-litre petrol with 156bhp on tap through a six-speed manual gearbox.

With just the one former UK keeper, only 44,000 miles on the odometer, and an impeccable service history, it’s been in the seller’s hands since 2019. Only for sale because of a growing family, he’s only reluctantly consigned this “brilliant” car with us.

The days when Peugeot cars dissolved at the first hint of a British winter are long gone, so it won’t come as a surprise to see how well this ten-year-old example has survived.

For a start the shutlines are as tight and even as anything made in Europe, which is high praise indeed. All the panels still align well too, and there’s a distinct absence of the sort of dinks and scrapes that betray a careless owner.

As for the Moroccan Red paintwork, it’s still in a good condition with a healthy shine to it and just the usual minor marks that every car collects along the way.

The 19-inch alloy wheels have fared less well, collecting a few kerbing marks and some alloy corrosion. However, they redeem themselves by being fitted with Continental Premium Contact 6 tyres on all four corners.

As they’re still fairly new – two were fitted in September 2023, with the other pair being purchased in August 2024 – they’ve also got plenty of tread left.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

The rest is all in good shape, and we love the look the matt black roof arches give the RCZ; it might be a small change over the standard model, but it makes a disproportionate improvement to the car’s appearance.

Which leaves little for the new owner to do; if it were ours, we’d tidy up the nearside corner of the front bumper, get the alloys refurbished, and treat it to a machine polish. After that it’ll be fit for the 2025 show season.

Like the matt black roof arches, the black hide interior’s contrasting red stitching lifts the cabin out of all proportion: While the use of red trim to differentiate a firm’s sporting models might be able to trace its lineage all the way back to the VW Golf GTI of the late seventies, the fact it works so well explains why it’s still being used to great effect almost half a century later.

Not that it would count for much if the interior wasn’t up to scratch. This one is, with still-firm front seats, only light creasing, and no obvious damage, it too lays to rest any qualms you might have about the durability of the French firm’s interior appointments.

Because it has lasted very well indeed, in both condition and specification; while many enjoy the somewhat minimalistic charm that older classics provide, cars like the RCZ offer iconic aesthetics alongside a thoroughly modern driving experience.

In this case that means electrically adjustable and heated seats, a pop-up sat-nav, air-conditioning, and directional self-levelling automatic lights and rain sensing wipers.

It also features sporting accoutrements such as a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a stubby gear-lever, a 150mph speedometer, alloy pedals, and some of the grippiest seats in the business.

The ‘RED CARBON’ door cards are in great shape too, as are the headlining, carpets, and dashboard.

Oh, and the rear seats don’t look like they’ve ever been used.

As for the boot, lifting the (good) carpet up and removing the polystyrene tool tray and compressor out shows a solid metal floor. Everything is in a remarkably good condition and even the netting luggage cover is still in its plastic bag.

Flaws, therefore, are few. There is some slight softening to the outside edge of the driver’s seat and a scuff on the offside sill. That’s it.

The RCZ’s service history is as follows:

• 24.10.2014 – delivery
• 24.11.2014 and 310 miles – service by Randles
• 05.11.2015 and 3,020 miles – service by Stoneacre
• 03.11.2016 and 5,845 miles – service by Budgen Motors Peugeot
• 03.10.2017 and 6,398 miles – service by Budgen Motors Peugeot
• 10.09.2018 and 7,258 miles – service by Budgen Motors Peugeot
• 16.09.2019 and 13,269 miles – service by M.J. Church Autos
• 17.09.2020 and 20,219 miles – service by M.J. Church Autos
• 09.09.2021 and 24,567 miles – service by M.J. Church Autos
• 08.09.2022 and 30,477 miles – service by M.J. Church Autos
• 12.09.2023 and 37,998 miles – service by Marshall Peugeot including a new timing belt
• 03.09.2024 and 43,762 miles – service by Marshall Peugeot

This history, which comprises a service every year regardless of how few miles it had covered since the last one, is supported by invoices and old MoT certificates.

As you’d expect of such a well serviced car, it starts on the button, revs and idles well, and does it all with great civility.

The engine and underbonnet area is a little grubby but as you’re going to be asking your favourite valeter to machine polish the paintwork anyway, you could ask him to give the engine the onceover while he’s there.

The underside needs no such attention as it’s very clean and still protected by the factory underseal.

A company director bought it new for his wife, and she racked up just 7,000 miles over the five years she owned it.

The seller has added the additional miles, including a trip to Bruges. He says it’s been a “brilliant” car, offering a vast amount of storage in a package that draws attention wherever it goes.

The Peugeot’s MoT certificate is valid until mid-September 2025.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the RCZ comes with two keys as well as the servicing paperwork and full Peugeot book pack and wallet, including the all-important stamped service history booklet.

Cars that offer reliability and the potential for 50mpg alongside genuinely thrilling performance are rarer than you think – and cars that make you turn around to admire them after you’ve parked are rarer still.

The Peugeot RCZ is one of those cars – and with just 300 built (a hundred of which stayed in France with the remaining 200 for the British market being equally split between petrol and diesel) the Red Carbon edition is rarer still.

Impeccably maintained, the fact we think it’s only going to fetch somewhere between £8,000 and £12,000 is likely to make it one of 2024’s greatest bargains.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.