After an assortment of online whingeing and pleading, plus that cool Rallye from Switzerland, Peugeot has confirmed that it will be bringing the GTI badge to the e-208. Thank heavens. For the moment, we can only report as Autocar has found, with new CEO Alain Favey saying in a media conference that “we will reintroduce the GTi on the e-208 as soon as possible”, but that sounds mighty encouraging to us. If the boss is saying it’s going to happen six weeks into his job, it’s surely going to happen.
“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 added. A lot of goodwill still exists around the Peugeot GTI brand, obviously because of the classics but also thanks to recent good’ns like the 308 and 208, so it’s fantastic news to see Peugeot finally attempt to capitalise on it.
Up first will be an e-208 GTI, but Favey suggested that it’s listening to feedback about the possibility of combustion-engined models with the hallowed badge. Clearly we’re some way from any concrete details about a new Peugeot GTI, though it’s worth bearing in mind that the e-208 is based on the e-CMP platform. Which has just recently spawned the Abarth 600e, and that’s receiving some rave reviews with anything up to 280hp.
Something to aim at, for sure, alongside the deeply impressive Alpine A290 and Mini Cooper SE. Expect the usual raft of hot hatch upgrades to make an e-208 into a GTI – stiffer suspension, bigger brakes, maybe a limited-slip diff – alongside a visual overhaul. Hopefully the two-tone paint is one GTI feature firmly consigned to the history books. Don’t forget that the Corsa Electric is built on the same architecture, so this confirmation from Peugeot could well spur Vauxhall on to make its own eVXR. Hard not to get a bit carried away given the heritage associated with both badges. We’ll keep you posted on any updates; in the meantime, petrol-powered 208 GTIs have never been cheaper…