Tag Archives: Peugeot

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Peugeot Reignites the GTI Flame for the Electric Age

Peugeot is preparing to tap into one of the richest veins of its performance heritage, with plans to revive the spirit of the iconic 205 GTI in the range-topping performance version of the next-generation 208.

The French brand has already reintroduced the GTI badge with a hot new version of the e-208, marking the return of one of motoring’s most storied performance sub-brands. Now, Peugeot CEO Alain Favey has confirmed that this is only the beginning. Speaking to Autocar, he revealed that additional GTI models are on the way as Peugeot reshapes its identity around what he calls “great driving sensations”.

That philosophy is expected to carry through to the next iteration of the 208 hatchback, due in 2028, positioning it as a modern spiritual successor to the legendary 205 GTI that defined the hot hatch genre in the 1980s.

A serious electric hot hatch contender

The e-208 GTI enters an increasingly competitive electric hot hatch arena. With 278bhp, a 0–62mph time of 5.7 seconds and a mechanical limited-slip differential, it is being engineered to go head-to-head with rivals such as the Alpine A290, Cupra Born VZ and the forthcoming Volkswagen ID Polo GTI.

Notably, this marks Peugeot’s first GTI-badged hot hatch since the previous-generation 308 GTI was launched in 2015. For Favey, the return of the badge carries real weight.

“We would not do it if we didn’t think that we want the GTI badge to continue existing in future,” he said. “So definitely we will make sure that there is a future for GTI which goes beyond just that one.”

While he stopped short of confirming exactly what form future GTI models will take, Favey was clear about the standard they must meet. “The important thing is to make sure that wherever there is a GTI badge, you get an experience that is one of a kind and absolutely the top in the category.”

Ambition takes time

Peugeot revealed the e-208 GTI in June at the Le Mans 24 Hours, with order books set to open at the 2026 running of the race and first customer deliveries planned by the end of that year. The lengthy gap between unveiling and launch, almost 18 months, underlines the brand’s ambition for the car.

“That’s just the time it takes to get the car ready,” said Favey. “We want the car to be really top in its category and really a credible hot hatch, and that’s as long as it takes.”

Alpine’s Renault 5-based A290 is firmly in Peugeot’s sights. Favey openly acknowledged it as the key benchmark, adding with a smile that the e-208 GTI “will definitely be better than its similarly conceived compatriot – at least, that’s what we hope to be”.

The rivalry echoes a golden era of French hot hatches, when the original 205 GTI squared off against the Renault 5 GT Turbo, followed years later by the Peugeot 206 GTI and Clio RS 172 battling for class honours.

Heritage, reinterpreted

GTI, Favey stressed, is central to Peugeot’s identity. “It’s an important element of our heritage,” he said, describing its revival as part of a broader effort to clearly position Peugeot as a brand that stands for driver engagement.

That heritage is already visible in the Polygon concept, which previews the next 208 and features multiple nods to the 205. A future GTI variant would be expected to lean even more heavily into that nostalgia, potentially reinterpreting classic design cues such as pepperpot wheels, red pinstriping and prominent GTI badging.

Looking beyond the supermini segment, the next-generation 308, also due around 2028, appears a natural candidate for a GTI version. Such a move would allow Peugeot to once again take aim at established performance benchmarks like the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Cupra Leon.

No return to petrol

One thing is clear, however: the GTI badge will not return on a petrol-powered hot hatch. Favey was blunt about the realities of emissions regulations, particularly in Peugeot’s home market.

“France is a big market for us and unfortunately the rules are such that there are extremely heavy CO₂ penalties up to €70,000,” he explained. “So it would make it just impossible to buy.

“We would have a nice car everybody would love, but it would be just impossible to own. And if we don’t have the French market, it’s difficult for us to justify developing a car like that.”

For Peugeot, then, the future of GTI is electric. But if the ambition behind the e-208 GTI is anything to go by, the badge’s defining promise—lightweight feel, sharp responses and genuine driver engagement—may yet survive the transition into a new era.

Source: Autocar

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Peugeot: Heritage, High-Tech, and a Bold Electric Future

Peugeot has been in motion long before many of today’s automotive heavyweights even existed. The French marque had already racked up eight decades when it produced its first car—135 years ago. Yet in a world increasingly dominated by newcomers like Hyundai and BYD, age alone doesn’t define a brand’s relevance. The question Peugeot now faces is: what sets it apart?

According to CEO Alain Favey, the answer is audacious clarity. “There are lots of competitors, but I see a sea of banality,” he says. “Peugeot has heritage, innovation, design, French style. We’re trying to get a position that’s different, rather than being more banal than the banal. And we need to speed up.”

Since taking the helm earlier this year, Favey has moved quickly to breathe new life into Peugeot’s identity. One of his first acts: ordering a GTI version of the E-208. “I couldn’t believe we weren’t using that heritage. We need to do it,” he says. The choice for electric propulsion wasn’t purely stylistic. “It’s the market reality today. And it has the performance,” Favey explains, noting that a petrol GTI in France would face punishing taxes.

Peugeot’s ethos, Favey emphasizes, is rooted in both its geography and its DNA. The company remains based in Eastern France, in a region he describes as “serious” and “hardworking”—qualities he likens to a Germanic pragmatism. Yet Peugeot is far from austere. “We have French charisma, and high-tech aesthetics. We’re known for driving sensations, and we’re future proof and built to last,” he says. “This is one of the few great brands in Europe. There’s a wealth of value in our history and DNA.”

Experience clearly informs his strategy. Favey’s résumé includes senior roles at Porsche and Bentley, as well as a stint running Citroën in the UK. But he’s not blind to Peugeot’s current commercial hurdles. Only 5 percent of European cars sold today bear the lion emblem—down from 7 percent pre-pandemic.

The decline, he admits, has roots in pricing strategy and marketing approach. “We increased prices too fast after Covid. We did well on fleet but lost on retail as we weren’t active enough there. The tone and style of our ads will be different in future. Warm, dynamic and human.” But marketing alone isn’t a panacea. “In the end it’s all about product. We must deliver on quality. And innovation—it’s why we’re here on planet earth. We’re not going to be conservative.”

A prime example of that innovation is Peugeot’s new Hypersquare by-wire steering system, which Favey compares to Audi’s Quattro for its potential to reshape public perception. “It demonstrates what Peugeot is about, playing a role in the future of cars. Eventually it will go throughout our range.”

In an era where electric mobility, design differentiation, and tech-forward features are non-negotiable, Peugeot is staking a claim not just as a heritage brand, but as a forward-thinking player. As Favey puts it, “We’re serious about pleasure.” And if the E-208 GTI is any indication, Peugeot intends to make that pleasure unmistakably French—and unmistakably electric.

Source: Top Gear

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Peugeot Polygon Concept: The Hypersquare Wheel Paves the Way for Steer-by-Wire

Peugeot has never shied away from turning heads with its concept cars, and the new Polygon is no exception. At first glance, its oblong steering “wheel” seems like a designer’s indulgence, more suited to a runway than a road. But in reality, it’s a serious glimpse into the future: steer-by-wire technology.

The Polygon’s steering wheel has no mechanical link to the front wheels. Instead, it’s fully electronic, driven by two redundant 12V motors at the rack and a smaller motor in the dash providing tactile feedback to the driver. The system filters unwanted vibrations, torque steer, and even compensates for crosswinds—while still relaying the grip limits of the front tires. In short, it’s not sci-fi; it’s imminent.

Peugeot calls the wheel the Hypersquare, a shape that’s less a rectangle and more like an oversized smartphone with rounded corners. Its form avoids brushing a driver’s legs, keeps displays in clear view, and hosts an array of thumb-accessible controls. Contoured grips and thumb holes allow multiple hand positions, improving comfort and freeing up cabin space—a thoughtful nod to ergonomics in an era of digital steering.

The Hypersquare also exploits one of steer-by-wire’s most powerful benefits: adaptive steering ratios. At motorway speeds, the wheel is less sensitive, making it easy to hold a line. At low speeds, you can rotate lock-to-lock with minimal effort, perfect for city parking. Comfort and sport modes let drivers tailor responsiveness, while torque corrections and electronic stability tweaks handle potholes, torque steer, or missed inputs.

Inside the Polygon concept, Peugeot pairs these innovations with the playful theatrics of gullwing doors and unusual seating. Yet beyond the show-car spectacle lies a serious preview: the next 208. Set to launch in 2027, the production 208 will debut Hypersquare on electric models before rolling it out across ICE variants and other Peugeot models. CEO Alain Favey likens it to Peugeot’s “Quattro”—a signature innovation that could define the brand for years to come.

On the road, the Hypersquare’s steer-by-wire system feels impressively natural. During testing on an E-2008 mule, sharp urban maneuvers initially felt odd, with the car’s rear seeming to float on casters. But after a few minutes, the responsiveness and lack of vibration made standard steering feel antiquated. On a high-speed test track, it excelled, providing accurate placement and clear tire feedback even through quick corners, cobbles, and blind crests. Steering ratios range from a brisk 5:1 at low speed to 21:1 in comfort mode on the straights, with sport mode dialing it in closer to a conventional 15:1 ratio.

There are minor quirks, mostly tied to the prototype’s mismatched chassis components, but Peugeot engineers are confident these will be resolved in production. And beyond practicality, the Hypersquare opens playful possibilities: disconnected from the road, it can serve as a controller for in-car games—melding driving and entertainment in a way few cars can.

In essence, the Polygon and Hypersquare represent Peugeot staking a claim in the driver-focused, tech-forward future. While other brands are experimenting with yokes or subtle drive-by-wire tweaks, Peugeot is committing fully, making its next supermini a testbed for steering’s next evolution. As Favey puts it, “We are playing a role in the future of cars. In 20 years, everyone will be offering this.”

The Peugeot Polygon may be a concept, but its Hypersquare wheel signals a revolution in how we’ll interact with cars—not just driving them, but feeling them, customizing them, and perhaps even playing them.

Source: Peugeot