Peugeot 208 GTi 30th Anniversary 2015 Review

Peugeot 208 GTi 30th Anniversary
Road Test

Sure, more would make the grade were it not for pricing differentials: But we must eliminate the mighty all-wheel-drive Audi S1 on account of its $50,000 price tag, ditto for the $38-grand MINI Cooper S and, for different reasons, the willing but somewhat underfed (by the standards we are considering here) Holden Barina RS.

We are talking here about feisty lightweights that tend to max out at around $30,000 and deliver enough performance to have keen drivers salivating even though in their more mundane, less-powerful forms, they are all little more than city runabouts.

Volkswagen’s Polo GTI, Renault’s Clio RS 200 and Ford’s Fiesta ST EcoBoost are three of the best investments you could possibly make if you want true performance in a four-passenger hatch and have a relatively lean budget.

And there’s Peugeot’s latest incarnation of the iconic light hatch that can be carbon-dated back to the 1980s – the terrific, Gallic, 205 GTi that first arrived here in 1987 and demonstrated what a relatively big engine could be made to do in a mite-size three-door hatchback.

Its successors, the 206 and 207 GTi, were not seen to capture the singular essence that oozed from the 90kW/152Nm (initially 75kW/142Nm) atmo-engined, 1.9-litre single-camshaft pocket rocket that was the 205 GTi. In its day it proved that simply good engineering can achieve great things, demonstrating this against the likes of Mazda’s high-tech, 100kW/184Nm all-wheel drive turbo 323 which it could convincingly trounce in any back-road brawl.

Fast-forward to 2015 and Peugeot reckons it has the potential re-light the enthusiasm with the latest 208 GTi. And particularly with the limited-build, $35,990 30th anniversary version that feeds its power through a Torsen limited-slip differential (from the RCZ coupe) to larger wheels and a reworked, wider-tracked suspension, stops with the help of bigger front brakes and brings its own particular dress-up clothing.

It wasn’t considered necessary to do anything with the 1.6-litre turbo powerplant, which remains unchanged and drives through a manual-only six-speed gearbox, winding out 153kW at 6000rpm along with a solid 300Nm of torque at 3000rpm.

The 208 GTi, in standard or limited-build Anniversary form, is pretty buff too. With a quoted kerb weight of 1160kg it’s lighter than any of its competitors – including the 1197kg Fiesta ST – which helps the power balance and assists economy as well. The Anniversary 208 GTi is able to accelerate to 100km/h in 6.5sec (6.8 for the regular 208 GTi) which makes it the fastest of the bunch, yet according to the official figures it’s also cleaner and more economical with a combined fuel consumption of 5.4L/100km and a CO2 figure of 125g/km (our test car fell well short of the claimed economy figures at 7.5L/100km).

The question is whether or not you would consider the Anniversary model’s extra $5000 over the regular 208 GTi to be justified (an academic question anyway because at the time of writing less than a handful of cars were left out of the 26 allocated to Australia).

Certainly, some time in the future, the Anniversary 208 GTi is sure to acquire some sort of cult status. It’s a distillation of the elements that make up the Peugeot hot hatch and, though that might bring some compromises on the road, it certainly makes for a determined weapon in a more competitive environment.

Here, though, we are looking at the 208 GTi Anniversary in a less specialised environment, asking the question of how it rates when put to use as a regular – albeit high-performance – road car.

Without beating too much around the bush it’s fair to say that, for most of us, the brief would be better filled by the standard 208 GTi. Not only is it cheaper, but it also copes better with the cut-and-thrust of everyday driving – while delivering pretty much the same performance.

The conundrum lies in the fact that the Anniversary GTi speaks directly to the heart, not to the head.

So what if the ride quality is abrupt and the car requires more concentration if it’s being pushed hard along a roughed-up, tight-knit road. Be aware that, if you’re not fully focussed when sliding into the driver’s seat, you’ll soon need to be.

The level of engagement required is nevertheless something to be welcomed.

It’s non-invasive, adrenaline-inducing and, in the end, gratifying because the driver is made to feel responsible for holding everything together; a bit like the original 205 GTi where simple competence overruled unnecessarily complicated technology.

Comfortably enclosed in the gorgeous body-hugging sports seats, the driver is protected to a certain degree from the Anniversary’s direct conversations with sharp bumps and dips in the road while directing proceedings through the delightfully sharp, light and accurate steering and the oily-smooth, if slightly long-throw and occasionally baulky (usually when upshifting from third to fourth gear) manual gearshift.

The Anniversary’s Torsen LSD plays a big role in delivering power cleanly to the road when exiting corners, while the bigger front brakes add an extra touch of assurance when they are being heavily and consistently relied on.

With its throatier exhaust the engine produces enough aural feedback to satisfy the driver (although without the stirring, if artificially-induced intake growl of, say, a Fiesta ST) and feels somehow larger than 1.6 litres even though the maximum 300Nm of torque doesn’t officially arrive until 3000rpm, which is well above all its competitors. It feels wonderfully elastic, ready to deliver from around 1500rpm and builds revs so quickly that, in lower gears, the electronic ignition cutout often arrives a lot sooner than anticipated.

In all, the 208 GTi Anniversary is a true distillation of what a driver’s car should be: It rewards commitment with a fabulous experience that has an immediacy not often felt, even in many sports cars.

Down sides?

Well, we found the hideously confusing LCD screen sat-nav controls a bit much, and still can’t see the logic of hiding cruise control functions out of sight on the left-hand steering column stalk. It’s a French thing. And in a $36,000 car, a standard reversing camera should be a done deal.

At the same time, the high-set instrument display above the steering wheel rim worked fine for us and we had no problems with the general air of quality. The optional black-red paintwork looked a treat too, though we’d be interested to see how the matt black fared over long exposure to the rigours of the road.

Yes, a regular 208 GTi is cheaper and would undoubtedly be more comfortable to live with. But there’s no question the Anniversary edition would better please those looking for maximised road grip and sharper handling – not to mention the something-special aura and long-term exclusivity that are an intrinsic part of the deal.

2015 Peugeot 208 GTi 30th Anniversary pricing and specifications:
Price: $35,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 153kW/300Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Fuel: 5.4L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 125g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

What we liked:
>> Linear power delivery
>> Sharp handling
>> Cossetting driver’s seat

Not so much:
>> Some ergonomic foibles
>> Abrupt ride
>> Tough luck if you actually want one

Also consider:
>> Ford Fiesta ST - $25,990
>> Renault Clio RS 200 Sport - $29,490
>> Volkswagen Polo GTI - $27,490