All-new Peugeot e-208 GTI revealed at Le Mans
Alpine A290 rival is here already, with a limited-slip diff, Cup 2 tyres, hydraulic bump stops and no engine
They don’t hang about at Peugeot these days. It was only at the end of March that new CEO Alain Favey confirmed a new 208 GTI project was in the works. Now, just a couple of months later, the car is ready to wow Le Mans crowds. Presumably, a new hot hatch has been on the boil for a little while, though it certainly looks good to keep the momentum going. We’ve been waiting years for another Peugeot GTI, so it’s great to see the promise followed up with the reality so soon.
The timing is ideal as well, with rivals for the e-GTI like the Alpine A290 and Mini JCW Electric having just arrived in UK showrooms. Furthermore, despite sharing vital parts with the Abarth 600e and upcoming Vauxhall Mokka GSE - they’re built from the Stellantis e-CMP architecture, with a 54kWh battery - the 208 has the obvious advantage of being, well, a Peugeot 208. It’s a small, squat, purposeful-looking GTI, a traditional hot hatch in other words, rather than a sporty compact SUV.
As with previous efforts like the old Peugeot Sport 208s and 308s, there are extensive modifications to the base car to make it a GTI. Compared to a regular e-208, this car is 30mm lower, with tracks 56mm wider at the front and 27mm at the rear. Hence the rally car stance. Speaking of which, there are hydraulic bump stops included in the GTI package, as well as a limited-slip diff in the reducer and 215-section Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres - pretty serious rubber for a junior hot hatch. In fact, on Michelin’s UK site right now, it isn’t possible to buy a Cup 2 smaller than a 235/35 ZR19; a bespoke Michelin size for a new pocket rocket is a good sign of intent.
Additionally, there are 355mm discs up front, with four-piston calipers; the funky new wheel design is there to both evoke the old 1.9 205 wheel, and provide better cooling. The rear discs are unchanged from a standard e-208. Peugeot Sport has tweaked the steering ‘to offer a direct response suited to dynamic driving’, complete with a dinky wheel as is apparently now a tradition. A new Sport mode for the ESP has been introduced to the GTI to ‘maximise sensations, such as on track.’ Another bit of good news, and a welcome development from the old cars, where the leap from everything on to everything off could feel a tad perilous.
An M4+ electric motor, made in Trémery as part of a collaboration between Stellantis and Nidec Leroy-Somer, provides the e-208 GTI with 280hp and 254lb ft of torque. That’s sufficient, says Peugeot, for 5.7 seconds to 62mph and a 112mph top speed. So it’s probably going to feel a good chunk faster than an Alpine A290, which only boasts 220hp for now. Encouragingly, the battery features a GTI-specific cooling system with high-speed driving in mind, so hopefully performance won’t suffer for hard use.
Sounds good, right? Alongside the wheels, the GTI will be distinguished from the rest of the e-208 range with flared arches to accommodate the wider tracks, a new front spoiler and rear diffuser, plus a host of red accents. This is a Peugeot GTI, after all; there had to be a lot of red, from grille to headlight to wheelarch surround. This body colour is a new rouge, as well; Peugeot thankfully retiring the two-tone idea for GTIs. Inside is really, really red, the carpets and seat belts paying homage to the 205 and the mesh on the seats intending to do the same. The steering wheel is leather and Alcantara.
Finally, lots of the EV bits will be familiar from the e-208. Range is rated at 217 miles WLTP mixed cycle (that homologation would suggest sales really aren’t far away), and max charging rate is still 100kW. It offers vehicle-to-load functionality, and the GTI will come with the same Peugeot Electric Promise - eight-year battery warranty, eight-year recovery, a charge pass - as other e-208s. The only other vital figure we’re missing for the moment is the price; right now the Mini is from £35k, the 220hp Alpine from £36k, and the Abarth 600e, conveniently enough, from £37k, so expect the Peugeot to slot in around there somewhere.
Alain Favey said: “We are thrilled to introduce the new Peugeot E-208 GTi, a ground-breaking next chapter in an iconic GTi story. This model represents a fusion of our rich heritage with cutting-edge technology, offering unparalleled performance and driving sensations, because at Peugeot we are serious about driving pleasure. With this new GTi, we set new standards within the hot hatch market.” It should be fun finding out if he’s right. Bring on the first drive.
Big brakes, wider track/bodywork, some soft of diff. All good stuff.
Dizzle over some iconic GTI badging and I like that a lot. More than the Alpine, maybe.
Only teh wheels let it down a bit. I suppose they are...erm, distinctive?
Let's see how it drives
I'm just trying to think of some more....
Pirelli P Slots on the MKI
Saxo VTR
306 GTI
205 GTI
Lancia Delta (the white ones)
R5 Turbo
Any others?
GTI Mk5 teledials
Press release looks like it was photo'd when the Liverpool FC team bus arrives at Anfield and some flares been let off
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