Peugeot 308 GTi, presentation and road test in Madrid

I’m heading to Madrid with one clear idea in mind: I’m going to drive the Jarama Circuit for the first time. But what excites me most is the prospect of doing so in the latest creation from Peugeot Sport, a segment C compact weighing just over 1,200 kilograms, with a carefully engineered weight distribution, an advanced chassis, a 1.6-litre THP petrol engine producing 270 CV, a powerful braking system and a Torsen limited-slip differential. The Peugeot 308 GTi has arrived, and it’s here to stay.

But first, let’s look at its styling. While it is certainly the spiciest version of the 308, its exterior and interior look differs little from what we already saw on the Peugeot 308 GT. The front features two new air-flow fins, a sculpted grille, LED headlights and a lower grille flanked by two larger air intakes, with a red trim accent.

The side sports more striking sill covers and exclusive 19-inch alloy wheels. Meanwhile, the rear gets a new rear diffuser and two circular exhaust outlets, and the bodywork can be finished in a two-tone colour scheme, named ‘coupe franche’, which mixes Ultimate Red with Perla Nera Black. The body, for its part, is 11 mm lower.

The cabin is in keeping with the exterior, but shares most of its features with the 308 GT. It offers bucket-style seats, leather and Alcántara upholstery with red stitching, while the atmosphere is dark due to the fabric, though the full glass roof adds brightness. The famous compact steering wheel is part of the Peugeot i-Cockpit, as are the raised instrument cluster and the touchscreen. The definitive sporty touch comes from the Sport button on the centre console, which switches the instrument display to red and provides additional information such as power, torque, boost pressure, lateral and longitudinal acceleration, enhances the engine sound and changes the accelerator pedal mapping.

Now for the chassis, the most outstanding aspect of the Peugeot 308 GTi. My test at Jarama was brief but intense, trying to find the limits in every bend, every corner, every braking point and every acceleration. The 1.6-litre THP petrol engine produces 270 CV and 330 Nm of torque (there is a 250 CV variant with the same torque figure), has a power-to-weight ratio of 4.46 kg/CV, 169 CV per litre, goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.0 seconds, has an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h, and homologated combined consumption of 6.0 litres, as well as emissions of 139 g/km.

With a weight of 1,205 kilograms, a reworked chassis, a braking system featuring 380 mm front discs with four-piston calipers and 268 mm rear discs, and the Torsen limited-slip differential (exclusive to the 270 CV engine), cornering is quick, stability and control are optimal, with no understeer despite being front-wheel drive, and we were tackling the Madrid track on a cold, rainy day.

The suspension has been fully re-tuned based on the Peugeot 308. It features an anti-roll bar, and the front end is now stiffer in its springs; the damper tuning includes a hydraulic extension stop and a progressive compression stop that is stiffer and longer. The 19-inch wheels (18 on the 250 CV variant) are fitted with Michelin Super Sport tyres, while the electronic driver aids have been recalibrated to suit the demands of this engine.

In terms of equipment, the Peugeot 308 GTi represents the top of the range in the 308 family, so the standard equipment level is quite comprehensive, including features such as LED headlights, Hill Assist, rear and front obstacle detection, Head-Up Display, a 9.7-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system, hands-free opening and starting, dual-zone climate control and navigation, among others. As optional equipment, the 308 GTi can be fitted with an alarm, the Drive Assistance Pack, a panoramic glass roof, a rear-view camera, an audio system and Peugeot Connect.

At this point, let’s talk prices. Looking for a segment for the Peugeot 308 GTi, we can see that it sits somewhere between the Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Renault Mégane RS, the Seat León Cupra and the Ford Focus ST, while its equipment levels, performance and final price can make buying the 308 GTi a rather more tempting proposition. The 250 CV GTi starts at 29,900 euros, and to get the extra power, the exclusivity and the Torsen limited-slip differential, you need to go for 32,400 euros.

Technical specifications of this car

HatchbackPeugeot 30824 versions · from 31,770 €