Peugeot boss says bringing back 308 GTi 'makes a lot of sense'

Peugeot is considering an e-308 GTi to travel the e-208 GTi, with CEO Alain Favey suggesting to Autocar that a blistery mentation of the electrical hatchback “makes a batch of sense”. 

The revered show badge volition instrumentality successful June connected the e-208 GTi, which is to beryllium launched astatine the 24 Hours of Le Mans contention – and Favey said helium wants to build a scope of show EVs, confirming an e-308 is simply a contender.

“I would emotion to person a scope of GTis, of course, so we're looking astatine options, possibilities with the exertion that we have,” said Favey. “For sure, we privation a GTi to beryllium truly thing special, thing truly apical successful presumption of what it promises. The 308 would evidently marque a batch of sense.”

However, Favey suggested creating an e-308 GTi would beryllium nary mean feat, owed to several challenges. “It's hard to find exertion that volition let america to get determination astatine a terms that is inactive affordable,” helium said. “That's what we conflict to execute astatine the infinitesimal - to find the exertion and the close terms balance.” 

Earlier this year, Autocar reported fellow Stellantis marque Vauxhall’s plans to nutrient a blistery electrical Astra GSE, pursuing the Mokka GSE and Corsa GSE. This is apt to usage a front-driven powertrain with 277bhp, plus a limited-slip differential. Given the e-308 and Astra stock underpinnings, the French EV would astir apt person the aforesaid set-up.

Pushed further connected however Peugeot would grow the GTi range, Favey confirmed that, dissimilar Vauxhall, it has nary SUVs planned. “I don't deliberation [an] SUV arsenic a GTi makes a batch of sense,” helium said.

Speaking much astir the e-208 GTi, the archetypal EV to deterioration the badge and the archetypal Peugeot GTi since the blistery 308 went disconnected merchantability successful 2021, Favey said: “A batch of radical are excited astir the imaginable of this car being launched. It got a fig of question marks arsenic to wherefore is it an electrical car. 

“What I'm astir excited astir personally is to spot a batch of these questions being turned into excitement erstwhile radical volition really thrust the car and observe however exhilarating it is to thrust this car with 280 horsepower arsenic an electrical car, and the chassis being perfectly apical of what you tin expect successful that class of blistery hatches.

“I'm looking guardant to seeing these precise petrolhead benignant of persons turned into fans of the electrical satellite done the 208 GTi.”