Peugeot brings the GTi back — electric, 281 hp and quicker than the Alpine A290
peugeot.fr
The GTi badge is back — fully electric, with a Peugeot Sport chassis, a mechanical LSD, Alcon brakes and a 54 kWh battery good for up to 375 km WLTP.
Peugeot has brought the 208 GTi back, but not the way fans of the old hot hatches were hoping. This is the E-208 GTi — a fully electric version priced from £34,995 (around €42,900 in France) that hits 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds.
The hardware isn’t just for show. The electric motor puts out 281 PS and 345 Nm, drive stays on the front wheels, and Peugeot Sport has fitted a mechanical limited-slip differential. The body sits 25 mm lower, the tracks are wider, the steering and suspension have been retuned, and 355 mm Alcon brakes with four-piston calipers sit up front. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres and 18-inch wheels are standard. The battery is 54 kWh, with WLTP range up to 375 km.
The real question isn’t whether it’s quick. Yes, the E-208 GTi is faster than the Alpine A290 GTS, which does 0–100 km/h in 6.4 seconds, and the Mini Cooper JCW Electric with its 5.9 seconds. But the GTi was never just about numbers. The old Peugeot 205 GTi and 208 GTi were loved for their lightness, sharpness and lively front end. The new car weighs roughly 1.55 tonnes, so Peugeot has had to offset the battery mass with hardware: the LSD, the tyres, the brakes and the chassis tuning.
Its market position is tricky. The Alpine A290 sells French character and the Renault Sport badge in a new wrapper, the Mini JCW Electric leans on style and a premium cabin, and the upcoming Volkswagen ID. Polo GTI will trade on the GTI name itself. Peugeot answers with a price below most expectations, a more powerful motor and genuine engineering rather than just red trim.
Buyers will have to accept a compromise: this isn’t the cheap little hot hatch you buy with your heart after a single test drive. At £35,000 they want emotion, real range, low running costs and decent resale all at once. If Peugeot Sport has kept the front-wheel-drive chassis alive, the E-208 GTi could be one of the first electric hot hatches people buy for more than just the acceleration.
The GTi is back without the smell of petrol, but with a harder question: can character in the setup replace lightness?
