Goodwood LIVE: Peugeot introduces 270-hp 308 GTi
The 308 GTi can reach 62 mph from a stop in six seconds flat.
Paris-based Peugeot has introduced a Golf-sized hot hatch dubbed 308 GTi at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Developed by Peugeot Sport, the automaker's in-house racing division, the long-awaited GTi is positioned at the very top of the 308 lineup.
Peugeot's newest sport-focused model uses a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that has powered a long list of Peugeot, Citroën, MINI and even BMW models over the past few years. Two versions of the GTi are available: a base model that delivers 250 horsepower and 243 lb-ft. of torque, and a more expensive version that ups the ante with 270 ponies.
Both engines are bolted to a six-speed manual transmission that spins the front wheels, though the more powerful mill benefits from a Torsen limited-slip differential. The 250-horsepower model can sprint from zero to 62 mph in 6.2 seconds, while the 270-horsepower version performs the same task in six seconds flat.
Upgraded brakes on all four corners and a lowered suspension system help keep the turbo four's grunt in check. Additionally, 270-horsepower models come with 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped by sticky Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires.
The cockpit has been spruced up with red stitching on the dashboard, the door panels and the center console, bucket seats upholstered in a combination of leather and Alcantara, a model-specific instrument cluster with a checkered flag motif and aluminum pedals. GTis equipped with the bigger engine come standard with a heads-up display.
The 2015 Peugeot 308 GTi will go on sale across Europe by the end of the summer, but pricing information has not been published yet.
Live images by Ben Hsu.
