Peugeot has today decided to reveal the hardest, fastest production hot hatch to date. It is called the 308 GTI, it is available in two power outputs, and it will arrive soon to do battle with the Ford Focus RS, Renaultsport Megane, VW Golf GTI, Seat Leon Cupra and, yeah, you get the picture.
Scheduled for a public debut at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed, the new 308 GTI will be offered in a 250bhp version - dubbed the GTI 250, naturally - and will accelerate from 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds.
The higher spec GTI 270 version, however, produces a chunkier 270bhp - the same as the RCZ R - and will complete the benchmark sprint in six seconds flat. Not quite the Golf R's 5.3s - nor the new Civic Type R's 5.3s - but suitably quicker than the standard Golf GTI (6.5s).
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Both cars run on to 155mph, and feature the 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that Peugeot rather likes. There's a ‘supercharged' air cooling system, installed below the front bumper, and a new double oil spray system to keep those hard-working pistons cool.
The 308 GTI 270 also comes with ‘race-developed' 380mm carbon brake discs up front, mounted on aluminium hubs, with four piston fixed calipers. This 270 also gets a proper Torsen limited slip differential up front, which should spell good news for the avoidance of rampant understeer.
Both cars get a specific front suspension setup, featuring new springs and specific damping calibration, with the chassis also featuring aluminium wishbones and a semi-hollow anti-roll bar.
The 308 GTI gets wider tracks front and back, and sits 11mm lower than the standard 308. Visually, there's a new black radiator grille, two front spoilers for additional aero, new door sills, and a new rear design.
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Wheel-wise, the GTI 250 comes with 18-inch alloys, while the GTI 270 gets spangly new 19s. Just watch those kerbs. Seats are supplied, of the bucket variety for the 270, and you also get a steering wheel, here in full-grain leather and sized by modern Peugeot standards. It's tiny, in other words.
There is also a touch-screen display, and a big red Sport button you'll find impossible not to keep pressing. Once activated, it'll change the dash colour from white to red, makes the exhaust a little bit shoutier, and changes the accelerator mapping to ‘helmsman'*.
If you care about such things, it'll officially return 47.1mpg and emit 139g/km of CO2, but there's a reason we've stuffed this information right down here.
Prices start at £26,555 for the GTI 250, and £28,155 for the GTI 270. Sounds exciting. Reckon this has the stones to bring back the Peugeot GTI magic reignited by the 208 GTI? Or would you prefer a Focus RS? Or a Megane RS? Or a Golf GTI? Or a...
First drive: Peugeot 208 GTI 30th Anniversary
*Not an official Peugeot term
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