New electric car launch Peugeot e-208 GTi: Hot Hatch with role model
A special model of the Peugeot 208 with a 206 kW electric drive aims to emulate the legendary Peugeot 205 GTi models from the 1980s.
(Image: Peugeot)
- Patrick Solberg
The Peugeot 205 GTi is a legend – regardless of whether it has a 1.6 or 1.9 liter engine. With a special model of the Peugeot 208, the little fun maker from the 80s is getting a successor in spirit with a 206 kW electric drive.
Not only does the Peugeot e-208 get more power, but you can also tell immediately how much of a hot hatch it wants to be. To achieve this, the electric GTi has been lowered by 30 mm. Its Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires in 215/40 R18 format require track widening of 56 mm at the front and 27 at the rear, which gives it a visibly fuller stance on the road. According to Peugeot, with these tires it should be able to take corners with even more bite than its already agile predecessors.
Front-wheel drive – just like back then
The 206 kW electric motor drives the front axle in a historically correct manner, although it has to cope with significantly higher torque than its predecessors: Thanks to 345 Nm of maximum power, the Peugeot sprints from a standstill to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. The car is limited to 180 km/h, which is significantly slower than the Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6 from 1984 or the 205 GTI 1.9 from 1986, but is no problem for the actual area of use, winding country roads.
Peugeot e-208 GTI (7 Bilder)
Peugeot
)The e-208 GTi's drive system is produced in Trémery in eastern France, a plant that used to specialize in the manufacture of engines and now specializes in electric drives as part of the Emotors joint venture between Stellantis and Nidec Leroy-Somer. The battery pack from CATL still has 54 kWh, which should be enough for a range of 350 kilometers. The maximum charging speed of 100 kilowatts is comparatively manageable, and the battery can only absorb a maximum of 7.4 kW at the wall box due to the usual limitation in the charger.
With a combination of leather and Alcantara, the integral seats are visually reminiscent of those of the sporty ancestors from the 1980s, while the dashboard has a carbon look. Peugeot promises driving pleasure, “because we at Peugeot are serious about driving pleasure.”
(dahe)