Making its public debut at the legendary 24 Hours of LeMans this weekend, the new, 280 hp Peugeot E-208 GTi resurrects another storied hot hatch name as it takes its place alongside reborn 80s icons from Lancia and Renault.
First unveiled as a concept last year, the new age E-208 GTi is production ready now, with specs that have it slotting right between the reborn Renault 5 and 280 hp Lancia Y HF, resurrecting the feisty French hot hatch from the 80s and 90s with modern styling that’s immediately familiar to fans – and, with 280 hp and 345 Nm (~255 lb-ft) of TQ – performance that’s mercifully closer to the GTi you remember than the GTi that really was.
“We wanted a car that evokes our history, but with a sober expression of performance,” explains Vincent Héride, Product Manager of the new Peugeot E-208 GTi. “No exuberance, but a confident stance, poised on the road.”
Seeing rouge
“From the bodywork to the wheel arches, the iconic red is omnipresent,” reads the breathless copy in the press release – and they’re not wrong. The retro red rouge highlights are everywhere.
