Perhaps unsurprisingly, Peugeot is using the Le Mans 24-hour race to reveal all the details of its new electric E-208 GTi. Well, in fairness, the French firm is racing in the 24 hours this weekend, with its dramatic-looking 9X8 hybrid cars, and it's also supporting the 24 hours with an outdoor cinema, running all weekend, where the 'seats' are actually classic Peugeots, lined up as if at a drive-in.
All this Le Mans stuff is all well and good, but we'd like to know more about the GTi, please…
Ah, yes, sorry. Got distracted. Which is, I guess, kind of the point as Peugeot is trying to draw direct links between the revival of its GTi badge and the racing team, which has acted as a consultant to boost the E-208 GTi's handling and performance.
Do we at last have official performance figures?
We do. The E-208 GTi is packing a 281hp electric motor, driving the front wheels, and is fed power from a 51kWh (net) battery. The range, which was just an estimate before, is now officially quoted at 377km, which is competitive with the E-208 GTi's major rivals. Mind you, that range is variable. It's the full 377km if you pick the no-cost option of Hankook Ventus S1 Evo3 tyres, but if you go with the standard, slightly stickier, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S performance tyres, then the range drops to 353km.
That 281hp power output gives the E-208 GTi the best power-to-weight ratio in its class accoridng to Peugeot, at 182hp per tonne. The 0-100km/h sprint takes 5.5 seconds (which, says Peugeot, is 0.2 seconds faster than the car was originally targeted to do), while the top speed is limited to 180km/h.
How serious is the motor racing connection?
Very, as it happens. Christophe Auriault, the E-208 GTi project manager, said: "From the very beginning of the project, it was obvious that Peugeot Sport should be involved in the E-208 GTi project. We have unique experience and expertise in designing this type of car. It was also clear that the goal was to create a 100 per cent electric GTi. We wanted to prove that all the Peugeot GTi DNA can be found in an electric car. And we have succeeded”
As well as helping with chassis and steering tuning, the Peugeot Sport squad worked on the electric motor. "This work on electronic motor control is at the very heart of our expertise. It draws directly on the know-how gained in motorsport and transfers it from the circuit to the road. The skills used for the development of E-208 GTi are the same ones that can be found when working on the 9X8,” said Aurialt.
Did the racing people work on the battery, too?
Actually, yes. Peugeot Sport also made sure the E-208 GTi's battery could sustain high-performance output for longer than would be possible with the standard setup, bringing some of that Le Mans hybrid expertise to the battery's cooling system. Christophe Auriault said, "One of our main priorities was performance durability. We did not want to reduce this exceptional power to protect the battery from derating, something seen on some electric performance cars. For example, if a customer is driving up a mountain pass, they should be able to stay in 'Sport mode' for the duration. It is the GTi spirit, performance should be constant. Drawing inspiration from motorsport, we designed battery cooling management that avoids power limitation in demanding conditions.”
What suspension mods have been made?
Aurialt and his Peugeot Sport team have been thorough with the E-208 GTi's chassis - the body sits 25mm lower to the ground than standard, while the suspension track is 56mm wider at the front, and 28mm wider at the rear. There's also a new 31mm anti-roll bar for the rear suspension, a mechanical limited-slip differential, specific springs and exclusive dampers with hydraulic bump stops and 355mm front brake discs with fixed four-piston callipers, specially designed for optimal cooling and consistent braking performance - and painted red, of course. The steering has also been entirely recalibrated for the GTi.
Auriault said: "The most important element of the chassis transformation lies in front and rear anti-roll balance, especially with the addition of the rear anti-roll bar. Our drivers from the Peugeot 9X8 tested the E-208 GTi on circuit and their feedback was: 'Don't change a thing.'”
And the styling?
It's a subtle transformation, with the lower ride height and the 18-inch alloy wheels (designed to mimic those of the 205 GTi from the 1980s) doing much of the GTi heavy lifting. On the outside, your paint choices are Okénite White, Elixir Red, Miramar Blue (a new colour for the 208), Nera Black, Cumulus Grey, Selenium Grey and Agueda Yellow.
Inside, you get bright red carpets, floor mats and seatbelts - just like the Peugeot 205 GTi, as well as a a part-Alcantara steering wheel.
Irish prices won't be announced until closer to the on-sale date, which will be in the last quarter of this year, but with UK pricing at £34,995, we'd expect a sub-€40,000 price tag for what might just be the most tempting hot EV yet.