Peugeot: Full range of high-performance models on way

Peugeot has announced that it will produce a high-performance version of every vehicle in its range, beginning with the 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered that will launch early this year.

Confirming that the Peugeot 208 GTI and 308 GTI will be joined by a raft of hotter hatchbacks, sedans and SUVs, the French car-maker's boss Jean-Philipe Imparato told

"We will launch at the beginning of 2021 with the 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered to send a message to the market."

Imparato said the motivation behind expanding the GTI and Peugeot Sport Engineered sub-brand to every model line is two-fold.

Firstly, many of the new high-performance models will be based on either electrified or pure-electric powertrains, so Peugeot believes a halo model will be a good promotional tool for the technology.

Secondly, Peugeot hopes the performance models will push the brand upmarket.

“It puts something on top of our range that sends a message to the world that we don’t want the EV transition to be boring – we want to have fun even if we have CO2 below 50 grams," Imparato said.

“It fits at the same time the upmarket move and the message that we want to bring on electrification.

“My target is an upmarket move for Peugeot. In 2020 we sold 32 per cent of all cars at the maximum GT-Line and GT levels. It feeds the upmarket move of the brand.”

As well as faster halo models, Peugeot will also expand into new body styles that it currently does not offer, with Imparato promising a "big launch" every year in every region.

The next model to arrive will be the all-new replacement for the current Peugeot 308 hatch that the car-maker is tipped to unveil in March.