Return of the GTi! When we'll see Peugeot's first EV hot hatch

It’s been almost five years since Peugeot last offered a hot hatch bearing its iconic GTi badge, but it’s about to offer one again – with an electric twist.

The Peugeot E-208 GTi will make its global debut on June 13, the day before the Le Mans 24 Hour endurance race.

The arrival of Peugeot’s first battery-electric GTi was pre-empted by the company’s CEO Alain Favey in March this year.

No fresh information has been released prior to its world premiere, but Peugeot did promise the E-208 GTi will be “fun to drive, agile, powerful – built to deliver an unforgettable driving experience”.

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Peugeot Australia hasn’t sold vehicles wearing the GTi badge, which was first seen on the 205 hatchback in the 1980s, since the 308 small hatch was axed here in 2020, before which the previous-generation 208 light hatch and its GTi flagship were discontinued locally in 2018.

But earlier this year Peugeot’s global CEO said the French brand “will reintroduce the GTi on the E-208 as soon as possible” in an effort to reconnect the historic marque with its sporty pedigree.

It also wants to recreate a link between its production models and its current motorsport efforts, including the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in which it campaigns the 9X8 hypercar.

“I’m in a position to confirm that we will reintroduce the GTi on the E-208 as soon as possible. We’ve made the decision that Peugeot GTi will be reintroduced,” said Mr Favey.

“We want to continue to nurture the reputation of the brand for driving sensations and the fact that our cars produce particular driving sensations, either as a driver or as someone that is being driven in the car.

“We will start with the 208 and [are] definitely listening to your inputs, or what our customers will say as well.”

Like the latest E-208 (pictured here) on which it will be based, the reborn hot hatch will be all-electric, making it Peugeot’s first battery-powered GTi.

However, Mr Favey, who said reviving the GTi nameplate was among his top priorities when he became Peugeot CEO in February this year, indicated a combustion-powered 208 GTi could follow if there’s sufficient consumer demand.

“We don’t exclude that there might be other executions of the 208 GTi under the GTi badge, but for today there’s absolutely nothing planned in that sense.”

Despite a slowdown in electric vehicle (EV) sales growth in key global markets, Peugeot’s first GTi EV will join something of an electric French hot hatch renaissance which also includes the wild Renault 5 Turbo 3E and the Alpine A290 based on the standard Renault 5 E-Tech.

As part of the Stellantis group, Peugeot could fit the E-208 with the same powertrain as the Abarth 600e, given both compact hatches are based on the automaker’s e-CMP platform.

The 600e employs a front-mounted electric motor producing 175kW of power and a Torsen limited-slip differential, with a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.2 seconds. There’s also a hotter Scorpionissima variant, which produces up to 207kW of power.

It’s possible the E-208 GTi will be quicker than the 600e if it’s lighter, and there’s also a chance a hotter special edition could be built alongside the Scorpionissima, which would be a spiritual successor to the previous limited-run 208 GTi 30th by Peugeot Sport.

The last Peugeot 208 GTi manual sold in Australia in 2018 was priced at $29,990 before on-roads and powered by a 153kW/300Nm 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine.

In typical Peugeot GTi (and Volkswagen GTI) fashion, it sent drive only to the front wheels. The hot hatch had a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.8 seconds.

The current, second-generation 208 (launched in 2019) is yet to be released Down Under, despite being previously confirmed for local launch in 2024, although Peugeot has said it could still be sold here in electric E-208 form.

In September 2024, Peugeot Australia said it still had plans to expand its EV lineup beyond the E-2008 small SUV and E-Partner delivery van, but not until 2025.

Local Peugeot importer Inchcape is yet to confirm which EVs it will launch here this year (if any), but the French automaker did receive Australian Design Rule certification for the E-208 back in 2023.

A single variant appeared in federal government approval documents, powered by an 115kW electric motor and a 51kWh battery pack. In Europe, this configuration offers a claimed 400km of electric range.

While a limited number of E-308s arrived in Australia last year, Peugeot has yet to confirm when it’ll offer the E-2008 again, and has stopped short of confirming other EVs like the E-3008 and E-5008 for our market.

MORE: Everything Peugeot 208