After a week of testing the Peugeot 308 GTi by Peugeot Sport here is what I learnt living with the car.
Endless Fun
The 308 GTi only has a 1.6 litre engine, but every single cc of it has been tuned and optimised to create the most amount of power possible. With the added turbo on this 1.6 litre engine the car creates 250 hp and moves like its hair is on fire. The power the car delivers feels so energetic from the driver’s seat. On full throttle the car sounds amazing and when you lift off to shift the exhaust gives a nice pop; up front you also get just a hint of hiss from the dump valve. The sensation of driving and the sounds the car makes really appeals to the inner speed freak in you.
Take a look at the video below to get an idea of just how good the car sounds.
Sporty Looking But Not Over the Top
Looks of course are very subjective, but I loved the look of the 308 GTi. It looked sporty, but it wasn’t over the top. My favourite piece of design on this car was the twin exhaust pipes that are almost moulded into the rear bumper. The only other real give-aways that the car is a GTi is the red lip across the bottom of the front bumper and those huge alloy wheels.
The car is a real looker from any angle. Take a closer look at some of the details on the car below.
A Proper GTi
Peugeot GTi’s were all about having the most amount of fun on the road and being as good if not better in the corners rather than in a straight line. This 308 GTi is a true representation of that. The suspension set up is fairly stiff for normal driving but once you start to show the GTi to a corner you really start to see how good the car is. The 308 feels very flat in the corners, it has plenty of grip, using the Michelin Pilot Sport tyres, and encourages you to turn a bit tighter and really feel the level of grip through the corner. It is impressively good and will put a smile on every car enthusiast’s face.
Don’t Forget it is an Everyday Hatchback
So we have explained that the GTi can get your blood pumping but it is important to remember that the car is based on the 308 which has won awards in the family car and business car markets. None of the practicalities of the standard 308 are removed from the car by making it a GTi; you still get that large boot, 4 doors and lots of room inside. With my week of testing the car, I found it to be very practical.
Nice Touches
The GTi had plenty of premium touches to the interior and the one that stood out the most was the panoramic glass roof. I really enjoyed having the roof letting light in all day. It makes the cabin feel more open, far more spacious and also allows the passengers to not only watch the world go by out the windows but also out of the roof. It is an incredible feature.
Supplied by: Peugeot
slick n nice