FHM Mgazine awards the Peugeot RCZ named B-Road Thriller of the Year.

• PEUGEOT’s flagship coupé, the stunning RCZ R, honoured by FHM Magazine in its annual Car of the Year Awards
• The distinctive 2+2 has been named ‘B-Road Thriller of the Year’ for 2014.

Conor McNicholas, FHM Motors Editor, commented: “This new R is not just a hotter RCZ, it’s a rebalanced, re-engineered car that takes its extra power and does things with it that makes your neck hair stand up.”

Priced from £32,000, the RCZ R was launched early in 2014 to near-universal acclaim. It is the most powerful road-going car in PEUGEOT’s history and with 270bhp on tap it features the world’s most powerful 1.6-litre petrol engine.

Suspension is lowered by 10mm compared to standard versions of the RCZ, while aerodynamic downforce has been increased thanks to a new fixed rear boot spoiler. Technical upgrades developed by PEUGEOT Sport include a new turbocharger, larger intercooler, redesigned exhaust, modified pistons, reinforced engine block plus a new clutch and gearbox.

Let loose, it can sprint to 62mph (100kph) in 5.9 seconds and go on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. But such impressive performance doesn’t come at the expense of the environment; the RCZ R will still return 44.8mpg on the Combined cycle, with CO₂ emissions of only 145g/km.

Conor McNicholas added: “PEUGEOT has channelled all its petrolhead know-how into its pet roadster and the RCZ R has the thrills to go with its looks.”

The FHM Car of the Year Awards are featured in the January issue of the magazine, which is on sale from today.

Stunning Alfa 4C gain FHM Magazine "car of the year" title

• Alfa Romeo 4C takes top honours in the 2013 FHM Car of the Year awards
• Lauded for its advanced, lightweight construction and immense driver appeal, the Alfa Romeo 4C is described by FHM’s influential editors as “a magic car”
• This prestigious accolade is a significant endorsement for both the Alfa Romeo 4C and the Alfa Romeo brand from the UK’s biggest men’s lifestyle brand

The Alfa Romeo 4C has been named FHM Magazine’s 2013 Car of the Year. The editors of the UK’s biggest men’s lifestyle brand regard the Alfa Romeo 4C as the vehicle that the British man most aspires to, respects and desires. Alfa Romeo 4C has seen off significant competition to claim the overall victory in FHM’s inaugural Car of the Year awards, and the win highlights not only the appeal of the Alfa Romeo 4C to driving enthusiasts and petrol-heads, but also the broader desirability and allure of this exotic sports car and the Alfa Romeo brand.

Described by FHM as “one of the most exciting sports cars on the planet”, the Alfa Romeo 4C is lauded for its “supertech carbon-fibre chassis, super-lightweight body and clever steering” as well as the note of its engine and the “laser-precision” of its dynamics.

Designed, engineered and built in Italy as a pure driving machine, the mid-engined Alfa Romeo 4C is powered by a new, all-aluminium, 240hp, 1750 Turbo Petrol engine and features Alfa Romeo’s latest-generation ALFA TCT transmission and Alfa D.N.A. driving mode selector - now with a new “Race” mode. The 0-62 mph sprint takes just 4.5 seconds and top speed is 160 mph, but thanks to its light weight and advanced engine and transmission technologies, its official combined-cycle fuel economy figure is 41.5 mpg and its CO2 emissions are just 157g/km.

The Alfa Romeo 4C’s compact shape accentuates its remarkable agility: With a dry weight of 895kg; a 40:60 front-to-rear weight distribution; track-honed double-wishbone suspension and Brembo brakes, the Alfa Romeo 4C is capable of generating 1.1g of lateral acceleration and in excess of 1.2g of deceleration force.  The exhaust has been tuned to emit a full, rich sound and the unassisted steering is progressive, direct and engineered to convey as much feedback and feel as possible. The steering ratio (16:2) is such as to allow 90% of bends to be taken without having to take your hands off the steering wheel.

Conor McNicholas, FHM Motoring Editor commented: "After much deliberation, there was only one car that could take the accolade of FHM's Car of the Year. With its neck-tingling speed, dramatic looks and real-world price, the Alfa Romeo 4C was the car that most turned us on in 2013."

Damien Dally, Head of Brand, Alfa Romeo UK noted: “We’re thrilled that the Alfa Romeo 4C has taken top honours in the inaugural FHM Car of the Year awards. FHM has its finger on the pulse of what’s cool and desirable and for the editors to rate the Alfa Romeo 4C so highly is indicative of just what a game-changer this new supercar is.”

Priced from £45,000 OTR, the Alfa Romeo 4C will be available to order shortly, but with some customers putting their names forward when the concept was first unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2011 most, if not all, of the UK’s production allocation for 2014 is already spoken for.