FAST. NEW. DRIVEN.
bySTEVE CROPLEYFIRST
FANG!Peugeot 208 GTi 30th Anniversary
PEUGEOT 208 GTI 30TH
ANNIVERSARY
Engine 1598cc inline-4, DOHC, 16v, turbo
Power 153kW at 5800rpm
Torque 300Nm @ 1700rpm
Weight 1185kg
0-100km/h 6.5sec
Price $35,9901 1 1 13
Peugeot injects a little more venom into its baby hatch
Red highlights inject
a sporting tone and
pay homage to the
1980’s 205 GTiI
t’s been 30 years since the release
of Peugeot’s 205 GTi – a hot hatch
best known for its agile handling and
zippy 1.6- and 1.9-litre donks.
To mark the anniversary, Peugeot has
launched a limited-edition 208 GTi. The
standard model was already a strong
return to form for the brand, after years
of being in the doldrums with the 206
and 207 GTi, but the anniversary model
adds further excitement to the mix.
Its launch colour is a radical red
and matte black finish (called Coupe
Franche), but the models also come
in all-red and all-white schemes, with
black wheel arch extensions and black
embellishments. A circuit-friendly set
of suspension mods include re-rated
dampers, spring rates that have been
hiked by 30 per cent up front and 80
per cent at the rear, a 10mm lower ride
height, a slightly softer front anti-roll bar
and a stiffer one at the back to shift the
handling balance away from understeer.
To boost traction, the car gets a
Torsen mechanical limited-slip diff,
and the stability electronics have been
tuned to allow a little more slip before
intervening, to add spice to the handling.
A bigger set of Brembo brakes and
18-inch alloy wheels with Michelin PilotThere’s less understeer (you can now
occasionally get the tail to step out
modestly), but the whole thing is kept
safe by the ESP – unless you de-activate
it, whereupon you discover that the car
retains great natural stability.
The small steering wheel and a quick
rack make the car highly manoeuvrable,
too. We had no chance to try the car in
the dry, but there’s no doubt the 208 GTi
30th would be a fast and entertaining
all-weather mount for track days, as the
0-100km/h sprint time of 6.5sec shows.
On the road, the 208 GTi 30th works
really well. It feels firm, but remains flat
and composed, without the jitters over
bitumen ripples you might expect. There
is noticeable torque steer during big
power applications on high-crown roads,
but the car mainly tracks straight. As is
the case with the standard 208 GTi, the
long-throw gear-change seems rather
an anomaly, but it is always accurate
enough and easy to use, while the brakes
are immensely capable.
The limited-edition models will set
you back from $35,990. Currently all 26
cars have been spoken for, but Peugeot
Australia is lobbying hard for more. It
seems, after a pause, Peugeot is moving
decisively in the right direction. MSport tyres are standard, too. Under
the bonnet, the 1.6-litre turbocharged
engine has been tuned both for tighter
emission regulations and to yield an
extra 6kW and 25Nm, taking the outputs
to 153kW and 300Nm. Inside, a new set
of Peugeot Sport bucket seats hold the
front occupants firmly in place.
On a greasy circuit in France, the 208
GTi 30th proved considerably quicker
and more stable at speed than the
standard car, which itself sets a pretty
good standard. The stiffer suspension
delivers extra stability and cuts body
roll to a minimum, and the locking diff
efficiently prevents the inside wheel
from spinning power away in corners.28 march 2015 motormag.com.auWorldmags.netWorldmags.net