The Peugeot 208 GTi concept has been unveiled ahead of its 2012 Geneva motor show debut next month, confirming the French car maker is ready to take another shot at rekindling the magic of its 1980s 205 GTi hot-hatch.
The three-door 208 GTi gets the 147 kW 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine found in the RCZ and, although Peugeot hasn’t given us any performance figures for the 208 GTi, we’d expect Peugeot’s new hot hatch to beat 7 seconds to 100 km/h. The 208 GTi is Peugeot’s attempt to recreate the glory days of the 205 GTi and take on rivals like sister PSA company Citroen’s DS3, which on first impressions looks promising.
The Peugeot 208 GTi concept, based on the three-door 208, features lowered bodywork, a grille featuring a chequered flag effect, a chrome dual exhaust pipe, larger, 18-inch alloy wheels and a rear spoiler. A GTi badge positioned on C-pillar is a nod to the 205 GTi of the 1980s.
Peugeot isn’t saying when the 208 GTi will go on sale, but with the regular 208 going on sale in the UK in the summer, we’d expect the new 208 GTi to hit showrooms in the UK by the end of 2012.
