PEUGEOT will start taking UK orders for the sporty new 208 GTi on 1 March, with the first cars being delivered from 18 April.
The 208 GTi has a starting price of £18,895 in three-door form. For that, customers get a 200 bhp 1.6-litre engine that punches the 208 GTi from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.8 seconds while delivering tax-friendly CO2 emissions of just 139 g/km.
The new car should look the part, too, with distinctive “Carbone” seventeen-inch alloys, red front and rear brake calipers, a twin chrome exhaust, a body coloured rear spoiler and LED-based daylight-running lights. Inside, there are black half-leather seats and a digital radio.
The 208 GTi is slightly pricier than two recently announced rivals, the Ford Fiesta ST (£16,995) and the Seat Ibiza Cupra (£18,570 including standard DSG gearbox) – and it will need to be good to beat off competition from the likes of Renault’s new Clio Renaultsport and BMW’s MINI Cooper models.
Peugeot once dominated the market for small hot hatches with the legendary 205 GTi, so the new car has a lot to live up to. See if you can slip one past your company car manager – it’s just a Peugeot after all.
