New Peugeot 308 GTi is a modern throwback to the iconic 205

By Gerry Murphy

Nostalgia dictates that when drivers of a certain vintage are asked what their favourite Peugeot of all time is, the answers will usually be the Peugeot 205 GTi.

That is because the 205 was a brilliant little hot hatch that was one of the best cars of that ilk and era, and whoever drove it instantly fell in love with it.

The engineers and designers at Peugeot Sport, when producing the new 308 GTi, were all too aware that the next car that carried the GTi name needed to be a modern throwback to that car. It was never going to be quite the same but, to be fair, they have managed something very close.

On looks alone, the new 308 Gti is rather handsome, and has all the little quirks that make it stand-out as a powerful hatchback. The double black grille with a swipe of red paint underneath, the twin exhausts, the big red brake callipers and the subtle placement of the GTi badge are all very intuitive.

Inside, the GTi badges and red stitching on the sports seats and the metal pedals are just some of the hints that this is an exciting car with the promise of a lot of fun. It also comes with Peugeot’s i-Cockpit, encompassing their small steering and touch-screen controls bring it right into the modern age.

As far as the touch-screen and the controls go, I have my reservations. It controls all primary controls, and at times there are too many processes to go through to change things like temperature controls, fan speeds and the audio sound system.

On the road is what the car is all about. I do like the response of the smaller steering. It gives you the impression that you are in a go-kart and the response is subtly quicker and extremely precise.

There are two drive settings; normal which allows you drive the car in regular mode and a Sport mode that changes the character of the car making it a bit of a hellraiser. This setting tightens the car to racetrack-like tautness, giving the driver sharper response, super grip and handling traits even more pronounced than the original 205 GTi.

Here, you have to be careful and fully aware of your surroundings. Torque steer comes into play on take-off, and if you are over aggressive, it will bite back and hurtle you to very high speed that will certainly threaten the points tally on your driving licence. It also makes the ride rather harsh, but nothing that will worry the more enthusiastic driver.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.