Best for two

The two-plus-two cabin is not just a straight lift from the 308, either. About the only thing not carried over from the concept car is the seat trim. The rest including body-hugging front seats with integral headrests, instruments in metal cases with photo-etched backlit markings, high-tech dashboard with soft-touch finish and the vast array of personalisation options is still in place.

You'll be able to order carbonfibre door mirror casings and bodywork details to match the optional carbonfibre roof, have different colours for the roofarches and alloy wheels, vary the trim materials and colours, and pile on the options. An integrated multi-media system and a JBL hi-fi are just two that the majority of buyers are expected to go for.

Peugeot admits the two sculpted rear seats are for occasional use only, but says that because the double-bubble roof increases the amount of headroom, they are more than token gestures a point that might be debated by anyone attempting to squash legs and knees in there. Better to just fold them down and expand the basic 321 litres of luggage space.

Still, a similar problem didn't stop Audi TT sales taking off at full pelt and remaining strong throughout the car's life, so why shouldn't the RCZ do well particularly as it's likely to be going on sale just as we emerge from the recession and people start to consider splashing out on a pick-me-up?

'It will be a volume-produced vehicle, so there's no reason why it can't dominate,' the company says. 'Every decade there has been an iconic coup the MGB, Ford Capri, VW Scirocco, Vauxhall Calibra and Audi TT. We think the RCZ could be next.'