RE: Peugeot 208 GTI gets go-ahead

[thewheelman]

StottyZr said:

dougc said:

205 must have been about 130bhp/tonne since it was made of baguatte crust and copies of Le Monde.

My guess this is 1.5t+ and 200bhp?

It'll be about 1200kg. Stop exagerrating!

Madeitupapedia has the kerb weight of the 208 at 975 kg, if so, this could be interesting.

[School boy]

Some say you'll need to use a tachograph when driving this due to its weight.

[ajh38]

The 156 THP is already present in the form of the 208 Feline 3 door. It has a 0-62 of 8.1 seconds, so no, not exactly fast. It does give the consumer an opportunity to get into a car with a genuine GTi badge on the side for less money and pay less for insurance, fuel and probably tax though.

I for one am looking forward to the GTi.

[dougc]

thewheelman said:

StottyZr said:

dougc said:

205 must have been about 130bhp/tonne since it was made of baguatte crust and copies of Le Monde.

My guess this is 1.5t+ and 200bhp?

It'll be about 1200kg. Stop exagerrating!

Madeitupapedia has the kerb weight of the 208 at 975 kg, if so, this could be interesting.

That'll be the 0.6l one with keep fit windows and steel wheels.

OK, maybe I was exaggerating but lets face it, it isn't going to be light is it?

[rtz62]

I predict it will be as limp as a 2-week old lettuce.
Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear Peugeot; where did it all go wrong. Oh that's right, after the 205 GTi; faster and heavier does not a better car make!

[mnkiboy]

Why is everyone going on about the weight of the car, when one of the big selling points of the 208 is the fact that it is comparatively light?

It's a fair criticism of the 207, but not the 208.

[ajh38]

The 1.0 and 1.2 is at 975, 1.6 turbo has a kerb weight of 1,090kg's. There is potential.

[housen]

that looks s!!!T

[NGK210]

School boy said:

Compared to the 205 GTi it will be rubbish & it's too heavey.

That ok for you?

"Heavey..." Indeed, the 208 GTi concept's bling, oversized lamps and chintzy wheels also make me feel queasy.

[School boy]

NGK210 said:

"Heavey..." Indeed, the 208 GTi concept's bling, oversized lamps and chintzy wheels also make me feel queasy.

Already been edited.

[Numeric]

I'd never have thought I'd like the Mini Cooper S as much as I did with the visible power and weight etc

Some cars punch above their weight (sorry to bring that up) and others below so I think the only proof will be how this one drives as the spec sheet can be very misleading these days.

I am confused about the engines - so is this the same as the JCW engine? I love that unit in my car and it's the first in some years not to burn a drop of oil!!

[Eighteeteewhy]

Still a crap TV a though!

[Ali_T]

155bhp? Shouldn't that be badged XS? The old 205 1.4XS was a good warm hatch after all. But no GTi.

[Johnnytheboy]

peteA said:

Ok...I'm going to just say it ....205 Gti

There.

Looks like a smart car but the 205 is this cars biggest problem...that and the 106...and the 306...

Peugeot have the same problem as any manufacturer that once made one utterly iconic car. Any subsequent car in roughly the same segment is going to be compared to this, first by the firm's marketing people, then by the press.

Then when it comes out the sense of anticipation will lead to disappointment.

Another good example of this would be Jaguar, whose coupes will always be hailed as the "new E Type".

[Crunchy Nutter]

"We want more emphasis on everyday usability."

SNORE. Ffs. That's a pre-emptive excuse for it being completely fuppin' rubbish.

[LuS1fer]

"We want more emphasis on everyday usability, where we think we'll find a larger audience"

Er, isn't that what they did with the 206 and 207 GTI and er...didn't?

I regret that the niche that most people do actually want is a harder rev-happy, turbo-boosted, handling oriented car. Other GTIs that have gone soft have not sold very well as they are no longer GTIs. Less power doesn't really cut it either. The only way this could be a niche is with a rapid hybrid.

Oh and the 205 GTI was over-rated, it just had less competition back in the day with only the 5 GT Turbo really being in the same division (yes, I chose the latter). VAG had nothing in the Polo size and Ford and Vauxhall had fairly rubbish small hatches.

[The Obeast]

Speaking with Autocar, Peugeot UK's managing director Tim Zimmerman said: "We have to find our own niche, and one in which we can expect to sell a significant number of cars. The Renaultsport route has its own appeal, but it is not the way we want to go. We want more emphasis on everyday usability, where we think we'll find a larger audience.


I may be reading that statement wrong, but is he trying to say that renaultsport products lack everyday usability?

[Limpet]

We were told the new 205 GTI had arrived when the 206 GTI was launched, and it failed. Again when the 207 GTi was launched, and that failed too. Forgive me if I don't hold my breath.

In Peugeot's defence, it is impossible to make a car like the 205 GTI nowadays. Apart from the weight gain, anything that agile and tail-happy would see the company sued by the first person who bought one because "it looked nice" to send theirs backwards into the scenery.

Personal responsibility, folks. Long gone.

[Gixer_fan]

Vilhelm said:

The reviews I've read about the 208 have mostly been favourable, and it is supposed to have a good, (relatively) light chassis. It sounds like a good place to start, though I don't see the point of offering a lower-powered version.

Autocar's 208 test this week didn't seem too positive. And it weighed over 100Kg more than claimed (though I don't know in what state the magazine weighed it - ie. with passengers, fuel, test gear...).

[thewheelman]

LuS1fer said:

"We want more emphasis on everyday usability, where we think we'll find a larger audience"

Er, isn't that what they did with the 206 and 207 GTI and er...didn't?

I regret that the niche that most people do actually want is a harder rev-happy, turbo-boosted, handling oriented car. Other GTIs that have gone soft have not sold very well as they are no longer GTIs. Less power doesn't really cut it either. The only way this could be a niche is with a rapid hybrid.

Oh and the 205 GTI was over-rated, it just had less competition back in the day with only the 5 GT Turbo really being in the same division (yes, I chose the latter). VAG had nothing in the Polo size and Ford and Vauxhall had fairly rubbish small hatches.

Back in the day, I'd have said the Golf GTi was the 205s main rival. They're probably the two most iconic hot hatches of the 80's. Other rivals were Ford's XR3i & Vauxhalls Astra GTE, my dad at the time went through most hot hatches. He still maintains the 205 was the best drivers car.