- The managing director of Stellantis UK wants a properly engineered hot hatch version of the next 208.
- The model could use a 278 hp electric motor already found in Abarth and Alfa Romeo models.
Peugeot Sport Engineered might have gone the way of the dodo, together with the fabled Rallye and GTI emblems, but a new report gives a glimmer of hope to hot hatch enthusiasts. The next generation of the Peugeot 208 supermini might get a performance-focused version, at least according to a Stellantis official.
Despite the discontinuation of the Peugeot 508 PSE, which was the only production model to ever receive the PSE treatment, Eurig Druce, managing director of Stellantis UK, left a window open for the return of performance-focused offerings in the French brand’s future lineup.
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Speaking to Auto Express, Druce said: “There may be other products in the future. Peugeot has always had a penchant for fast, small hatchbacks, as we’ve seen various generations of GTis. I remember the 205 GTi when I first joined the company. And the 206 GTi thereafter. It would be a sad, sad day for us to declare that we will never go there again. I wouldn’t want to see that sad day coming and I don’t think I will.”
When asked specifically about a hot hatch version of the 208, Druce expressed his enthusiasm: “I’d love to see it, personally. Peugeot Sport engineers would be the people that would do that sort of thing.”
While he didn’t confirm whether the car would carry the GTi badge, the Stellantis UK managing director said: “The crucial bit for me is the credibility that came from PSE. So, whether we call it PSE or GTi, the truth about it was that Peugeot Sport had engineered the car and there were significant driveability differences between that and a standard car. I think that’s crucial.”
“What we cannot ever do is to put a GTi badge on something that is a conventional car with a slightly bigger e-motor, for example. One of the big things about this future market is that almost every electric car can be a quick car. The beauty comes from being able to make a fast car and a really enjoyable, driveable car as well.”
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These remarks hint at a fully electric hot hatch that could borrow tech from other Stellantis models, combined with a spicy chassis setup from Peugeot Sport engineers. A hot Peugeot of this size could rival models like the Alpine A290 GT and Mini JCW Electric, signaling a new era for the small hot hatch segment which currently is basically extinct.
A hotter Peugeot 208 could use the electric powertrain of the Lancia Ypsilon HF which makes 237 hp (177 kW / 240 PS). The mechanically-related Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce and Abarth 600e Scorpionissima are fitted with an even more powerful version of that electric motor, generating as much as 278 hp (207 kW / 280 PS). The extra power is combined with a Torsen limited-slip differential on the front axle, stiffer suspension, anti-roll bars, and bigger brakes compared to lesser versions.
The next generation of the Peugeot 208 is expected to arrive in 2026 or 2027, together with the Opel Corsa. The supermini hatchbacks will ride on the STLA Small architecture, an evolution of the current models’ CMP/eCMP underpinnings. This platform supports combustion engines, mild hybrids, and EVs.
Here’s to seeing more hot hatchbacks and SUVs in the near future. And, if anyone from Stellantis or Peugeot is reading this, we think that even with 237 hp, a new 208 GTi would do just fine. After all, Peugeot’s past hot hatches weren’t all about power, but more about handling, agility, and having fun. Continuing that tradition would be wise – and it might also keep the costs down, which will make the bin counters, as well as the buyers, happy.
