Latest news with #e208
Car and Driver
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
Peugeot e-208 GTi Is a Return to Hot Hatches for the French Brand
Peugeot announced the return of the GTi badge with the new e-208 GTi hatchback. The electric hot hatch makes 276 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque from its lone front-mounted motor. The e-208's verve isn't confined to the numbers; the GTi gets a look that matches its demeanor, with a widened stance, a new spoiler, and an aggressive rear diffuser. It's a big week for fast cars over in France. You may not have heard, but it's Le Mans weekend, and now Peugeot has announced the return of the GTi badge. That's right—the electric 208 has been given the GTi treatment, and it looks phenomenal. Peugeot Peugeot Starting off with the performance, the GTi's front-mounted motor was lifted from the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce, its larger platform-mate. The lone motor produces a healthy 276 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to launch the little hatchback to 62 mph in a claimed 5.7 seconds. That may not sound like much here in the U.S., but the GTi has 142 more horsepower than the standard e-208 hatchback. Peugeot Along with making decent power, the e-208 GTi is equipped with a limited-slip differential to keep things tidy in high-speed corners. The tracks have been widened by 2.2 inches at the front and 1.0 inch at the rear. The suspension is fitted with hydraulic bump stops, dropping the ride height by 1.1 inches. The steering is also said to have been tuned for a more direct response during spirited driving. The real performance upgrade comes to the tires, with Peugeot equipping the e-208 GTi with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber. In typical GTi fashion, the e-208 gets a visual makeover to match the performance upgrades. In addition to the wider and lower stance, the GTi gets a more aggressive front lip, along with a sizable spoiler and a large diffuser at the rear. Peugeot Given that Peugeot doesn't compete in the U.S., the new hot hatch won't be sold here. Despite the attractive performance metrics, we figure the rather small 54-kWh battery would scare off most American customers anyway. Jack Fitzgerald Associate News Editor Jack Fitzgerald's love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn't afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. Read full bio
Daily Mail
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
GTI is back! Peugeot's legendary badge goes on the e-208 EV - can it be the 205 GTI's spiritual successor?
After half a decade away, Peugeot's legendary GTI performance badge is back - but on an electric vehicle. The three-letter moniker, which is synonymous with its iconic 205 GTi of the 1980s and 1990s, has been stamped onto a souped-up version of the Peugeot e-208 EV. Unveiled today on the eve of the 2025 Le Man 24 Hour, it's officially the first time the adored badge has appeared since the 308 GTi was discontinued back in 2020. And it invites a direct comparison between Peugeot's new electric hot hatch and its 205 GTI ancestor, which is considered one of the best ever made. Set to rival the EV Abarth 500e, Alpine's A290 and Mini Cooper John Cooper Works Electric hot hatches, the French marque promises it will focus on 'driving sensations'. Peugeot has guaranteed the 'best performance in the electric hot hatch market', claiming the e-208 GTI will accelerate from zero to 62mph in just 5.7 seconds. Debuting some 40 years after the original 205 GTI, can it really be considered the its spiritual successor? The new model is a very big deal for Peugeot. That's because it's the first all-electric car to be graced by the GTI stamp. With this in mind, the team responsible for creating it was given a strict brief to ensure the e-208 lives up to the three-letter status that has underpinned its performance machines for four decades. Hot hatch looks To give the e-208 GTI a more squatted and aggressive stance, engineers have lowered the suspension by 30mm and extended the track (the distance between the wheels) at the front by 56mm and 27mm to the rear. While the conventional e-208 is already a boxy, eighties-inspired supermini, a number of additional adjustments has ramped its purposeful look up to eleven. The wheel arches have been bulked up to accommodate the wider track, with a flared section over the top of the tyres featuring a red pinstripe - a nod to the original 205 GTI's plastic body trim that ran the length of its profile. There's a new front splitter and rear diffuser to tick the hot hatch boxes, but these also increase downforce while cornering. Unique to the GTI EV are the 18-inch wheels based on those used on the 205 GTI 1.9, with the fabled 'holes' not just a nod to the modern classic but shaped to increase cooling to the enlarged 355mm brake discs and four-piston calipers entrusted with providing extra stopping power. To give it a more squatted and aggressive stance, engineers have lowered the suspension and extended the track The launch model revealed the day before the start of the French endurance race is finished in an exclusive bright red paint, which harks back to the Cherry option that popularised the 205 GTI in the eighties. The bright red accents carry over to the cabin, with scarlet carpets, floor mats and seat belts to give a 'sporty atmosphere' to the cockpit. Even the seats are a modern twist of the split design of the 205 GTI 1.9. A central red trim extends across the seat and backrest, while the red mesh on the right side of the chairs recalls that of the 205 GTI 1.6. Back to the 80s: Bright red accents carry over to the cabin, with scarlet carpets, floor mats and seat belts to give a 'sporty atmosphere' to the cockpit Will the e-208 GTI drive like an old-school hot hatch? To ensure the e-208 GTI has the performance to match its bold looks, Peugeot has reworked just about ever facet of its powertrain and chassis with input from its 'Sport' division, which currently leads its charge in the World Endurance Championship. While the standard e-208 has the option of a 50 or 51kWh battery, the energy source for the GTI is an increased 54kWh unit. This uses 'optimised management' with improved cooling to ensure it can cope under the aggressive driving conditions it will likely endure at the hands of enthusiast owners. Peugeot bosses claim it should return 217 miles of range on a full charge - though this figures is based on official fuel economy laboratory measurements and not the club-footed driving of a boy racer. The battery supplies a 278bhp electric motor, which produces an impressive 345Nm of torque. Thanks to the improved traction from the chassis tweaks, it will provide a sub-six-second sprint time to 62mph and an electronically limited top speed of 112mph. While Peugeot is yet to clarify the car's bulk, it says it has the best power-to-weight ratio in its segment of 5.7kg per horsepower. The addition of a limited-slip differential will optimise the handling characteristics and performance while cornering to make this a true B-road weapon. Upgraded suspension springs and shock absorbers have been added, which, combined with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres as standard, along with a tuned rear anti-roll bars, should keep it planted to the road. Tweaks to the steering rack will make it feel sharper than the standard supermini, too. Peugeot has also introduced a bespoke 'Sport' mode as part of the adaptive driving settings; activating it switches off the driver assistance features to 'maximise sensations' when the EV is being thrashed around a track. How much will the e-208 GTI cost? The big question on everyone's lips is how much the e-208 GTI is going to cost. While Peugeot has yet to put a firm figure on the electric hot hatch for the UK market, we expect it to ring in between £35,000 and £40,000. The highest-spec standard e-208 currently costs £34,800 while arguably the GTi's biggest rival from fellow French outfit Alpine - the A290 - starts from £33,500, though its most powerful 217hp version is £38,000. First deliveries should arrive towards the end of the year or early 2026. What else do I need to know? Using a conventional 7kW wallbox homecharger, the 54kWh battery in the e-208 GTI can be recharged in 4 hours and 40 minutes. However, a compatible 100kW ultra-rapid charging point can boost the battery from 20 to 80 per cent charge in less than half an hour. It also benefits from vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality, which allows an electrical device - like a laptop, kettle or even an e-bike - to be powered via the car's high-voltage battery. The e-208 GTI will likely be produced alongside the standard EV at the Zaragoza plant in Spain, though its powerful electric motor is made in Trémery, in eastern France - an old engine manufacturing plant that's received a recent upgrade for its transition to EVs. And despite the performance upgrades, Peugeot has committed the e-208 GTI to the same warranty coverage it provides with its more conventional EVs. This includes eight-year/100,000 mile cover for the vehicle and the battery. Unveiling the electric hot hatch at Le Mans, Alain Favey, Peugeot CEO, called the car a 'ground-breaking next chapter in an iconic GTI story'. He added: '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.' Peugeot 205 GTi: The icon The Peugeot 205 GTI was launched in 1984 into an era that had fallen in love with the hot hatch thanks to the original Golf GTI, writes Simon Lambert. It looked the part, with the stylish three-door standard 205's form and stance enhanced, including the addition of a very 1980s red-striped trim and spoiler, to give it a sporting character. The 205 GTI was initially powered by a 1.6-litre engine, with 105bhp and later 115bhp. While that doesn't sound like much these days, the car's lightweight nature – with a curb weight of just 848kg – meant that performance stacked up well against rivals. More important though was the 205 GTI's handling. Peugeot's engineers had hit upon a magic formula that meant even 40 years later, the 205 GTI is still considered one of the best handling cars of all time. The French carmaker had a near instant hit on its hands with the 205 GTI and eighties 'yuppies' fell head over heels for it, just as they had the Mark 1 and Mark 2 Golf GTI. The 1.6-litre 205 GTi got an upgrade from 105bhp to 115bhp just ahead of the launch of the 1.9-litre 205 GTi in 1986. This came with an updated cabin, styling tweaks and the famous Speedline alloy wheels instead of the 1.6-litre car's 'pepperpot' wheels. The bragging rights delivered by the 130bhp larger engine extended to better performance. The 0-to-60mph time was cut from the 1.6-litre car's 8.7 seconds to just 7.8 seconds. There's still debate among 205 enthusiasts now as to which was the better car, the fizzy, revvy 1.6 or the torquey 1.9 GTI. The broad agreement though is that both are fantastic. Peugeot's engineers had hit upon a magic formula that meant even 40 years later, the 205 GTI is still considered one of the best handling cars of all time According to Hagerty's price guide, a 'good' condition 1989 1.9 205 GTI is worth about £15,000 – 15 years ago, it could have been bought for about £3,000 The 205 GTI remained on sale, through a few minor cosmetic facelifts, until 1994, when it became a victim of high insurance costs delivered by boy racer crashes and joyrider thefts – and the 205 coming towards the end of its lifetime. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, the 205 GTI retained a hardcore fanbase but to most became just another ageing hot hatch. Then it started to be appreciated, with fans like Jeremy Clarkson singing its praises in a famous Top Gear clip you can find on YouTube, and soon prices started appreciating. They really took off in the 2010s, as the 205 GTI became recognised as a modern classic and auction prices for mint condition cars broke through the £10,000 mark and soared up in the £20,000 and £30,000s for the best examples. According to Hagerty's price guide, a 'good' condition 1989 1.9 205 GTI is worth about £15,000 – 15 years ago, it could have been bought for about £3,000.
Auto Car
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Return of a hot hatch legend: Peugeot will reveal its first GTi model in years today
Peugeot's sporting sub-brand to make its return on the eve of Le Mans for a feisty Alpine A290 rival New E-208 GTI is tipped for 237bhp and a Torsen limited-slip diff Close News Peugeot will reveal a hot GTi variant of the electric e-208 supermini on the eve of the Le Mans 24 Hour race today. The brand has confirmed that its long-mooted Alpine A290 rival, officially confirmed by Peugeot boss Alain Favey earlier this year, will be unwrapped on 13 June. It has given no details, but says it will be "fun to drive, agile, powerful - built to deliver an unforgettable driving experience". It will be the first GTi model since the previous-generation Peugeot 308 went off sale in 2021 and Peugeot's first sporty pure-electric car. Speaking to media recently, Favey said: 'I'm in a position to confirm that we will reintroduce the GTi on the e-208 as soon as possible. We've made the decision that Peugeot GTi will be reintroduced.' He added that it is a 'signal' about 'what it means to reconnect to our past, our history' and that it would link the French brand's road cars to its involvement in motorsport - particularly the World Endurance Championship, in which it fields the 9X8 hypercar. 'We want to continue to nurture the reputation of the brand for driving sensations and the fact that our cars produce particular driving sensations, either as a driver or as someone that is being driven in the car,' Favey said. As for a broader GTi line-up or a sporting model with a combustion engine, Favey suggested it will depend on customer feedback. He said: 'We will start with the 208 and [are] definitely listening to your inputs, or what our customers will say as well. "We don't exclude that there might be other executions of the 208 GTi under the GTi badge, but for today there's absolutely nothing planned in that sense." Confirmation of the GTi badge's return comes after Favey said that he would consider it as one of his first jobs since taking over as Peugeot CEO in February. The new e-208 GTi is tipped to use the same powertrain as the closely related Abarth 600e, which is based on the same e-CMP platform. The high-riding Italian hot hatch gets a 237bhp motor mounted up front with a Torsen limited-slip differential, and tout a 0-62mph sprint time of 6.2sec. It's possible that a lighter and lower-set e-208 equipped with the same powertrain could cut that to below 6.0sec. Both the Abarth and the closely related Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce are also offered with a punchier 278bhp motor, leaving room for a special edition in the vein of the previous 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport. Green-lighting the e-208 GTi for production is also likely to result in a hot version of the Vauxhall Corsa Electric, given that the two models are twinned and Vauxhall has already confirmed plans for a hot Mokka GSE using the Abarth 600e's powertrain. Join our WhatsApp community and be the first to read about the latest news and reviews wowing the car world. Our community is the best, easiest and most direct place to tap into the minds of Autocar, and if you join you'll also be treated to unique WhatsApp content. You can leave at any time after joining - check our full privacy policy here. Next Prev In partnership with
Top Gear
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Peugeot's e-208 now does 268 miles of range and gets bidirectional charging
Electric The hybrid also receives a small power boost, peaking at 145bhp Skip 1 photos in the image carousel and continue reading Nope, not quite the GTI-coated news many are hoping for, but Peugeot has issued the 208 supermini with a few minor upgrades across the lineup. At least it's something. For starters, the e-208's largest battery option, a 48.1kWh pack, now delivers an extra 14 miles of range to a new WLTP total of 268 miles. That's connected to an unchanged 156bhp electric motor. Advertisement - Page continues below Its onboard cable - 7kW as standard or 11kW optional - has also been recast to offer bidirectional charging. It means vehicle-to-load technology for the first time in the e-208, allowing a pulse of up to 3kW to power external devices. The 208 hybrid also benefits from a slight power boost, with its 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder now offered in two increased outputs: 110 or 145bhp. That's a jump of around 10bhp from before. You might like Peugeot has used the refresh to introduce a new range-topping trim across the board too, dubbed 'GT Premium'. It'll add wireless phone charging, Alcantara upholstery with green stitching and heated massage front seats. These build on the existing features, include multicolour ambient lighting, a 10in infotainment screen and a competitively-sized boot that stows up to 311 litres of goods. Advertisement - Page continues below Pricing for the GT premium grade starts at £28,295 for the hybrid, before jumping to £34,000 for the electric sibling. Remember when superminis were cheap? Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Look out for your regular round-up of news, reviews and offers in your inbox. Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
