Peugeot CEO Alain Favey has confirmed the GTI badge will return on a high-performance version of the electric Peugeot e-208.
The decision to go ahead has already been made as a key part of Favey’s aim to “re-energise” the Peugeot brand.
Peugeot, Favey pointed out, has a long performance heritage and is currently competing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC). He added: “The return of the GTI is proof of the performance Peugeot has always stood for.”
The GTI goes electric
Favey confirmed the new GTI will be derived from the current-generation electric Peugeot e-208 (pictured above).
He told a group of AUTOBEST jurors – including Motoring Research’s Richard Aucock, the UK AUTOBEST juror – that we will see it “this year”.
“It will be a true GTI,” said Favey, and will use technology from the Stellantis Group portfolio, “but also the skills of the Peugeot engineers who are very motivated to bring this car and make it the best possible in this segment.”
High-performance parts
Models such as the Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce and Abarth 600e Scorpionissima (pictured above) – both using the same architecture as the new Peugeot e-208 GTI – have an arsenal of interesting technology the engineers can draw from.
This includes 280hp electric motors, a mechanical limited-slip differential, Alcon four-pot front brakes and a bespoke rear anti-roll bar.
The Abarth 600e Scorpionissima sprints from 0-62mph in just 5.9 seconds – and, as it would be smaller and potentially lighter, the Peugeot e-208 GTI could be faster still.
It will certainly be a step on from the current Peugeot e-208, which peaks at 156hp with a 54kWh battery. Following Favey’s promise that we will learn more soon, anticipation is likely to skyrocket.
Peugeot’s GTI heritage
Alain Favey has been in charge of Peugeot for just a few months. Indeed, he is not yet into his first 100 days at the French firm.
He has, however, a clear idea of what the Peugeot brand should be. “We will not be premium – we do not aspire to be. In the mainstream part of the market, we want to be in the upper part of it. Upper mainstream will be how we express the brand and evolve our model range.”
He wants Peugeot to be seen as an alternative in the market, building on the “French panache is part of our DNA… We want to be a bit edge, with a different positioning to stand out from the crowd”.
Peugeot is a brand with more than 210 years of history, he added. “We definitely want to use this heritage to build what the future will be for our products and for our brand.”
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