Home News Peugeot 208 GTi Launch

Peugeot 208 GTi Launch

Fancy a textured paint job for your car? No, unlike tartan paint this is not a joke or an April Fool. And if you’re one of these people who happily spend hours of elbow grease achieving the perfect high gloss finish, then you’d best go away now and sort out your collection of silky soft cloths and polish mitts.

The unique finish which is resilient and tough has been developed by Peugeot in response to the demand from customers for further personalisation options and follows the trend towards distinctive paint jobs including matt or dull top coats.

EO0T3865

The Peugeot technical folks have spent the past four years developing the world-first process for a volume production car and unlike existing techniques, it’s available only as a factory option carried out by the robots at their state-of-the-art manufacturing plant at Poissy in France.

It looks both matt and satin and feels grainy rather than rough to the touch. Crucially it is also harder-wearing and easier to care for than conventional matt paint with full resistance to micro-scratching and even the rigours of regular automatic car washes. Peugeot are so confident they guarantee the finish for the lifetime of the car.

EO0T0559

It’s available for the first time in the brand new Peugeot 208, including the sensational GTi, the latest in a long line of the iconic machine.

The initial coats of anti-corrosion, primer and colour base remain the same as for standard metallic paint, but the secret lies in the top lacquer. It contains fine particles of silica, which give the paint its matt appearance, toughness and granular properties, and micro-balloons of polyamide which creates the special texture.

It’s certainly different and gives the car a very distinctive touch and feel and even more significantly, at £645 it costs just the same as the pearlescent paint option. At the moment, it’s available in only two colours, Ice Grey and Ice Silver – one brownish and the other charcoal – but it can be coupled with a personalisation pack of Lime Yellow or Menthol White which add highlights on the inside, outside or both.

EO0T0582

I wasn’t sure about the concept until I saw it in the flesh as it were and I have to say it does look good – especially in the top-of-the-range GTi in the classic Coupe Franche livery, following on from the success of the GTi 30th edition.

The new car is badged as the 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport and comes in dramatic two-tone paintwork – especially so with the textured finish over the bulk of the body and a bright red back end from the rear quarters.

It really looks the business with a lowered ride height, wider track, 18 inch wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Super sport tyres, bright red Brembo front brakes, tuned suspension and steering.

Add to that sports bucket seats, red floor mats and a Torsen diff and this is quite some machine which will delight the GTi fraternity.

EO0T0600

Sadly I haven’t yet had the chance to drive it as test cars are still on the hen’s teeth wanted list but the performance figures speak for themselves with a clever 208hp (how did they do that?) from the 1.6 power unit and superb torque of 300 Nm. That’ll send you from a standing start to 62 mph in just six and a half seconds up to a potential 143 mph.

I did get behind the wheel of a more sedate 1.2 litre Pure Tech 208 and while it had only half the power of the GTi, it was remarkably capable. The interior layout was pretty much the same except for the GTi features including the diminutive flat-bottomed steering wheel which looks tiny but feels just right for the car. Overall, the finish on the inside is clean and businesslike with the feel of quality build. Exterior looks have been sharpened across the range with a new front and back end where the taillights now have Peugeot’s 3D claws incorporated in the design.

I like what Peugeot are doing just now and I’m especially impressed with what they’ve done to the 208 which is their best-seller in the UK and across Europe with more than 100,000 of the first generation on British roads.

Smart thinking and innovative design ideas like the textured paint will ensure this latest addition will continue the success.

CAR: Peugeot 208 1.6 THP GTi by Peugeot Sport

PRICE: £21,995

POWER: 1,598cc  208hp

TORQUE: 300 Nm

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 143 mph  0-62 mph 6.5 secs

MPG: 52 mpg combined

CO2 EMISSIONS: 125 g/km

TT Rating: TT Rating 4½

Previous article2015 Volkswagen Scirocco R Review and Test Drive
Next articleTT Fleet Update: May 2015 – John Sh
Journalist, broadcaster, former Regional Journalist of the Year of the Guild of Motoring Writers and overall motoring enthusiast.