New Peugeot 205 GTi breaks cover

Not a bad looker

So this is the 208, huh? It's nice, but it looks almost identical to the 508, which is beautiful. I like this car.

By JPW2010 on 20 September, 2011, 4:52pm

Every small car Peugeot make is "The spiritual succesor" to the 205 GTi.

All of them have failed in this respect, it remains to be seen as to whether this is any good

By Richard_H on 20 September, 2011, 4:56pm

i'll be convinced this is the new successor when i see it in the WRC

till then, its just another potential disappointment....

By omria on 20 September, 2011, 6:20pm

I AM SICK OF THIS STATEMENT " the new 205 gti"

I'm sorry but there is just no way this car will even come close to being like a 205 GTi, I have owned around 20 variants of the GTi's over the years working in the motor trade. I have had the Mi16s, 1.6 gti 205s and 1.9s with 6 speed boxes and uprated engines 206 180 gti's 309s and even a Goodwood, Trust me none of these new models will be like a genuine original 205 GTi. Everything now is plastic fantastic, boring same old modernistic, prefab pants cars for ladies. I wish I was wrong because I have waited a lot of years for the "New 205 GTi" Sadly nothing comes close to arguably one of the best all round hot hatches of its generation. I have not bought a Peugeot for over 5 years now because nothing in the range excites me anymore. If they wanted to recreate the 205 GTi they would be best just bringing it back with new reg plates.

By dandoherty on 20 September, 2011, 8:02pm

The 205 GTi weighed 875 kilos and had 130 bhp. It would get to 60 mph in 7.5 seconds

The new car will weight around 1300 kilos and will need 192 bhp to even equal the same power to weight ratio...And it'll still have to drag that extra 450 kilos (5 average people's weight) around corners...

I don't think this or any other new hatch back will be the new 205 GTi somehow!

By guildbass on 20 September, 2011, 8:20pm

Looks really nice, haven't seen a decent looking Peugeot since oooh, 1995! The 508 was a start, let's hope the new 208 goes well. It won't be a 205 though, cars like the 205 are -sadly- long gone and will not be repeated unless aluminium, magnesium and other expensive materials that lower weight (and therefore the need for bigger brakes, wheels etc etc) come down in price and make the manufacturing of mass market cars viable.

By ganthopoulos on 20 September, 2011, 9:21pm

Another MX5 grill - yuk!

When are we going to escape this copying of designs?

By CarlyWarly on 21 September, 2011, 5:53am

iPad Touchscreen cabin-control - that'll be rubbish then

Why don't car companies ever learn - they make cars not iPads & computers. The "cabin contol" system will be rubbish, obsolete as soon as it is launched & will go wrong - these things always do.

If they want an iPad in the car then do a deal with Apple & include iPads.

Renault got it right by adding TomTom Sat Nav to their cars.

By kneem on 21 September, 2011, 8:47am

Unconvinced

Still unconvinced by Peugeot's new styling direction (sorry, "design language"). Base on this front elevation the 208 will be just as anonymous as the bulbous 508. No way could that Passat clone be called beautiful JPW. Re-hire Pininfarina!

By Anorak17 on 21 September, 2011, 11:15am

The new 205 GTi...

...was the 2002-2006 Mini Cooper.

Peugeot seem to have forgotten how to do it. So have BMW/Mini with the latest version of their small hatch.

By minicoopers69 on 21 September, 2011, 12:25pm

A French iPad - ha ha ha ha ha

Apple, Microsoft, Dell, HP, Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba and any other computer/electronics company you care to mention. What have they in common. That's right - none of them are French and the reason is that the French cannot do electrics as anyone who has had the misfortune to buy a Peugeot/Citreon/Renault will know to their cost. (as well as anyone with anything made by Alcatel, Tompson or Sagem)

By IronChicken on 21 September, 2011, 5:04pm

IronChicken, hate to tell you but the electrics on most French cars are more likely to be German than French........

By brucie_g on 21 September, 2011, 9:55pm

"It will be smaller and lighter than the car it replaces"

enough for me.

By f1011 on 24 September, 2011, 11:46am

205 Gti was great

If you put a 205 GTi through an Ncap safety test i am sure it would be lucky to get 1 star. I am sure this new car will have 5 stars just like the car it replaces.
80's cars were easy to make light without caring for safety and of course everybody wants loads of spec these days that weighs.
I hope it goes straight to the top of it's class by beating the Clio but no car will ever be as good as the 205 GTi but i know which one i would rather be in if i was in a smash.!!!

By Gazzza on 26 September, 2011, 12:27pm

Ford Fiesta anyone?

Peugeot must be very impressed with the styling of the Fiesta: Take away the notches in the top of the headlamps, change the shape of the grille, and there you have it, even down to the styling linies running down the outer edges of the bonnet from the screen pillars. Well done Ford!

By knox615 on 6 October, 2011, 12:02pm

Malaysia bound?

The VW Golf 2.0 Gti is a runaway success in Malaysia despite its hefty price tag. I am sure if the local dealer can convince its French partner to bring the 208 Gti into Malaysia and price it right...it will be the hot hatch to die for!

By ahmadjaafar on 17 October, 2011, 9:31am

205 GTi is a legend

First impression of this one is NO disappointing.. Less effort needed in making in look pretty and more attention to the bit's that matter! Always is the problem with French cars.. The original GTi kept it simple

By liverpool on 26 November, 2011, 2:39pm

Hopefully so

Hopefully it will be 205 successor but as Dandoherty said already, it will be another plastic fantastic most probably.

I don't know if any car maker has actually tried to do this trick- take the old legend, stuff it with some foam or such for better noise insulation and voila! Here you have original best drivers car but more comfy.. why not? and add some 21st century engine so that fuel economy is better than 20 yrs ago

By hubabuba on 7 January, 2012, 9:57am