A beautiful, sports car that has a practical side? Now that’s just being silly. And quite frankly when I actually first set eyes on the extraordinary Peugeot RCZ, any thoughts of a practical nature went straight out of the window. Except that is, what could I do to own one!

Often photos can give a false impression, so that you end up being slightly disappointed and let down when you see the real thing. But although the RCZ looks stunning in the press photos it doesn’t flatter to deceive: it’s even better looking in the flesh, trust me.

It is gorgeous, and while I wasn’t quite as taken with the interior as I was with the 308 CC (they’re very similar so perhaps it just looked slightly familiar) it couldn’t fail to impress.

I did eventually get to see the boot and realised that you could get a family in there should you want to, and if not, you could fill it with all manner of shopping, and even a bike should the urge take you.

Sitting in the RCZ felt fantastic; I felt as if my legs had elongated as I got comfortable in the low driving position with my legs stretched out to connect with the shiny alloy pedals. I suppose I’m so used to sitting up high in a rigid, tense position in the family car full of kids, that I had got to the point where I thought that was the only driving position possible. The large sculpted rear window allows great visibility and lets in a lot of light, so that driving becomes a more relaxed experience.

So not only is the RCZ a joy to drive, but it’s also very frugal. Peugeot, like all manufacturers, have the health of the planet on their conscience and are constantly making strides towards reducing the carbon footprint of their products. And Peugeot’s diesel engines (the petrol engines aren’t that far behind either) are famously good.

But surely the most satisfying feeling is being in a car that really turns heads. Another RCZ came hurtling towards us as we were driving along and it made you realise what an impression they make. It may be shallow, but this car really does have rather a lot of road presence, and by default, as a driver you can’t help but feel some of it rubbing off on you.

Trouble is, they’re not making many of these so I’m going to have to be quick trying to persuade the family that the RCZ would be an ideal replacement for our ancient Corsa as a second car…

Whizzing into town is a breeze as it’s not too big, and then this weekend six of us girls (of varying sizes) are going away for a break. That’ll be the true test, both of the car and of our friendships!

We’re testing the turbo petrol version which is incredibly refined (perhaps we’ve been driving too many diesels recently?) but at first glance seems to enjoy a drink…

Just to prove that the Women and Wheels cameraman has a tough job after all. Our full Peugeot 5008 First Drive Story coming later this week…

We owned a Peugeot 205 many years ago, courtesy of a dear friend. He kindly donated it to us when he became too old to drive safely, only for it promptly to be written off by my husband who drove it into a wall to avoid hitting a sheep!

So now, years later I found myself in the 205’s upgraded self – a 2009 Peugeot 207 courtesy of a Peugeot Service Department as my 807 was dispatched for some repairs. I should add that this isn’t the car featured in Debby’s video above, which was lent to us by the nice people at Peugeot UK…

Having been used to a diesel automatic, with an engine not quite large enough for the size of the 807, it was rather a joy to slip the 207 into gear and zip away. My mood immediately lightened, distracted from thoughts of impending repair bills.

Unfortunately, this all coincided with a self-catering, boating holiday on the Norfolk Broads. We had a long journey ahead in our new small friend and frankly we approached it with some trepidation.

But instead of the miserable, cramped journey that we had been anticipating (the 207 is, whichever way you cut it, smaller than an 807), we had a lovely trip with luggage and provisions fitting nicely into the impressive boot, husband not too cramped in the passenger seat and toys mercifully limited due to the normal-sized cabin.

The only complaint from said husband was when I refused to overtake numerous lorries on the A-roads. This however, is no reflection on the 207, but rather on my driving, having endured a near-death experience a couple of years ago with the aforementioned under-powered 807 and a huge lorry hurtling towards me.

Apart from the slow journey then, there were no further complaints and we arrived at our destination full of beans (literally, thanks to a Little Chef) with plenty of petrol still in the tank.

I suspect there’d be even more fuel left in the tank had we been in the new Economique (doesn’t “economical” sound better in French?) derivative of this best-selling Peugeot, which not only produces 99g/km of CO2 but is exempt from tax. It’s little wonder that sales of the 207 are very good despite all the other new Peugeots on the market (see our recent 3008 test here for instance).

We suddenly wondered whether our friends and neighbours had been right all along to sneer at our enormous people-carrier, while they smugly drove their nippy city cars.

Who needs big, gas guzzling monsters, which only encourage you to pack for all eventualities when a smaller, greener car will do? If only we could afford to downsize!

What a day full of surprises. Firstly my childen actually behave despite my usual manic behaviour when a trip is imminent. Secondly, I actually arrive on time to the launch of Peugeot’s new 3008, which isn’t a MPV, SUV or a hatch, but seems to have all their good qualities, such as space without being a tank, rugged looks without being offensive and yet still drives like a Peugeot should. This, I’m reliably informed is a ‘crossover’, which I thought was something else entirely…

But the surprises didn’t end there. I was determined not to get carried away with this Peugeot, as I feel I’m too easily seduced by their gorgeous looks. But I needn’t have worried. At first I thought maybe the French had lost their ‘je ne sais quoi’, especially as the last Peugeot we drove was the elegant 308CC. But as every plain Jane knows, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

Stepping into their top level trim ‘Exclusive’ HDi 150 with an amazing panoramic sunroof, luxuriating in the feel of the leather and enjoying the power of the 2-litre diesel engine, I had to admit that this car was quite something. And over the course of the day, the exterior grew on me too. Bit of plain Jane bonding going on there.

While I didn’t get to experience the car’s impressive-sounding grip control, its pulling-power was very entertainingly demonstrated using the strength of the car to launch a glider. While you wouldn’t necessarily need this particular attribute in your day-to-day life, it just shows how great this car would be at towing a caravan or a trailer full of quad bikes.

But what really sold this car to me was the ‘grip control’ giving you a helping hand in snow, sand, mud or wet grass where the car has the ability to apply torque to a single wheel that needs the grip, and limit it to those that don’t. Here is a 2-wheel-drive that has the ability to get you out of difficulties that, lets face it, we only encounter once in a while and without the added cost, weight and fuel consumption of a 4×4. Love it!

And just when I’d grown accustomed to its glide-like ride, ease of drive, power and comfort I had to glide for real. No car sickness in the 3008 with its dynamic roll control, but my did I feel slightly green around the gills after being flung 2000 feet above the earth……until, I was enveloped by peace, calm and sheer joy at the spectacle of the landscape gently moving past and the most amazing views of the world below.

After feeling so calm and inspired by the gliding experience, I was quite unprepared for the final surprise of the day. A huge Scalextric set and a very serious organiser who had us competing against one another. Needless to say, I was as resourceful as ever and came second. And the prize? Sadly not a lovely new 3008 to drive home, but instead a Peugeot 908 HDi FAP Scalextric car! Now how do I get that past the kids without a fight breaking out?

While I do drive a rather large car, it’s too big and cumbersome to be looked upon as fashionable and chic. More like a white elephant that we will have to endure until it falls apart at the seams.

I could quite happily see myself in Peugeot’s rather magnificent 4007 which would make me feel rather at home with all the yummy mummys in their large, expensive vehicles. We have quite a few where we live which is a very pleasant, normal area. But come the weekend it becomes transformed into yummy parent land. The weekly farmers market seems to bring them out in droves.

Goodness knows where they actually live as you never see them wandering the streets during the week, or walking their little darlings to school. They’re all off in their enormous gas guzzling cars polluting the air and blocking the roads on their way to the private schools.

I feel our local school is a rather well kept secret. It might be a huge ugly Victorian building and normally receives a dreadful Ofsted report, but the kids love it as much as the parents that send them there. I was in our local Starbucks not long ago and overheard a conversation between the staff. Apparently they like to do things for our local school as they perceive it to be poor and deprived. Nearly choked on my latte. On the other hand let them think that – all the more resources for us, and I can do a good poor and deprived!

Anyway, after grabbing my coffee I jumped into the car to do some household shopping, only to be faced by a yummy daddy – obviously had the day off work or ‘in between’ jobs – blocking the exit to our road with his huge, black 4×4, door open, drinking his coffee and chatting on the phone.

He completely ignored me and carried on chatting. I had an irrisistable urge to peep my horn very loudly in the hope that he would jump and spill his coffee all down his nicely pressed Jermyn Street shirt. However, my mother brought me up to say ‘excuse me’ politely, which is what I did. It went unheard and I sat there patiently until he was ready to move on. I’ll never change, and by the looks of things nor will he.

Now maybe if I had been in a 4007 with its bold, delicious looks bejeweled with chrome he might have taken notice. But there again maybe it just doesn’t produce enough CO2 to compete….

I hate to think I would begrudge my friends their good fortune, but just sometimes I find it gets the better of me.

I always try and console myself that happiness is more important than material things but a) I don’t feel particularly filled with the joys of spring (although things have perked up a bit since the weather’s improved) and b) yes, I’d rather be driving my friend’s new convertible BMW than sitting behind the wheel of my very untrendy, uncool people carrier.

The absurd thing is, the day before I met Mrs BMW I felt like the bee’s knees: there I was, driving along the south coast in Peugeot’s new 308CC. Roof neatly packed away, sun beaming down and a whole day ahead of fun, food and freedom. There were ten cars on the launch of this stylish beast and I was determined just to enjoy the experience for the day – and I certainly did just that.

Past the beach we went, along country lanes, fantastic scenery and for a brief moment I thought I was one of the beautiful people who could have it all. It was only when I saw our video afterwards that I realised that it truly was all in the mind! So there I was excitedly telling my friend all about the wonderful day I’d had and the fantastic car etc. etc., when she quietly slipped in that she’d ditched her new Fiat 500 – got bored with it – and replaced it with the aforementioned BMW.

Well, that shut me up.

I dutifully ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed’ and then waved her off as she stylishly (she does everything stylishly, even when you see her first thing in the morning, kids running wild and her in her PJs) drove off to her exciting life. I chugged home in my old barge, muttering to myself. My day will come – won’t it?