Peugeot 208 GTi and GTi by Peugeot Sport review - a return to 205 GTi form? - Peugeot 208 GTi Design
The Peugeot 208 GTI trying to channel the spirit of its seminal predecessor, the original 205 GTI. Does the latest hot hatch get close?
The 208 has become quite a familiar shape on UK roads, but it’s not an unattractive one and both GTis feature all the appropriate hot hatch addenda – lower bumpers, large wheels (18 inches in this case) and striking colour schemes.
Most striking of all is the Peugeot Sport’s ‘Coupe Franche’ paintwork. Inspired by the dividing line on Peugeot’s copper and carbonfibre Onyx concept from 2012, the cut is designed to create a triangle shape at the back of the car – hence the seemingly random location of the paint divide.
On the 208 you get a matt-black, textured finish to the front of the car, and a bright red to the rear. It’s an acquired taste, but will undoubtedly become a defining feature when looking back on the car in years to come.
Elsewhere there’s a checkered flag motif to the front grille, and on the Peugeot Sport there’s appropriate branding on the 205 GTi-style ‘soap dish’ trim element that trails the rear side windows.
