"They don't make them like they used to." How many times have you heard this phrase from the lips of old and not-so-old car fans, about the "sterile, colourless, odourless, full of restrictions and prohibitions, heavy modern cars"; Well, well, the Reply to all of them, is the Peugeot 208 GTI which has received the necessary amendments from the Peugeot Sport.
Because, this 208 is neither colourless and odourless, nor is it limited in its "wants"... sick petrolhead gives. It is a thoroughbred war construction, with destination hardcore climbing enthusiast, with the explosiveness, the performance, the absolute character and the whims of a good old Peugeot. And, surely, when the French Peugeot racing team were "treating" the 208 GTI, they had in mind the recipe that made legends of motoring The 205, 206, 106 GTI and Rallye.
The Appearance
This 208 Well, is not the same as the others and it shows at first glance. The two-tone matte black front and red back which is now a trademark of the most hard-core Peugeot models. Of course, there are other aesthetic details that differentiate it from the "normal" 208 GTI (such as the wider exhaust tips, the larger side sills and the red line along the airway of the mask) and, in some cases, are References in the history of Peugeot Sport. Such as the Peugeot Sport logo on the pillars, behind the rear windows, where the legendary 205s had their badges (Rallye, or GTI).
The Peugeot Sport logo on the rear side pillar of the 208 GTI and the celebrity photographing it, in the foreground (and some apartment buildings)
Anyway, the two-tone (worth 2.500 euros) that is love or hate it (love, for me), makes the car to stand out next to any other. And the package of aerodynamic aids - which are not sophisticated - the amazing 18s rims with the huge bright red Brembo to be seen through their spokes and the dual exhaust tips complete the "package".
Coolat least impressivesiac in appearance the 208 with the dichroism
And in Inside, the picture is the same. Beyond the state of the art Lilliputian leather steering wheel, above which the driver sees the instrument panel with the red outline, the "show" in the interior is stolen by the seats. The -real- bucket of Peugeot Sport with the alcantara and the red stitching, which offer excellent lateral support. The interior of the 208 looks like "spartan" like a Rallye, but he lacks nothing. Besides, the whole menu is "gathered" in the discreet touch screen, in the centre of the dashboard. The red mats and the chrome details (pedals, levers) complete the picture.
It looks spartan, but it's not
But enough with the appear. How is it in realitythe more hardcore 208 GTI?
The improvements
Peugeot Sport has chosen not to "squeeze" the 1.6 THP (which we've seen has an outrageous 270 horsepower) and increase the horsepower to the not so random number of 208 horsepower. At the same time, it increased the torque at 30.6 kgm than 28 of the "normal" GTI, while it also achieved reducing emissions of pollutants at 125 from 145 g/km.
The engineers of Peugeot Sport they were shortening the relationshipsin the six-speed transmission, they put on a controlled differential Torsen, they installed stiffer springs that lowered the bodywork by 1 point, while redesigning from scratch the geometry of the suspension.
In addition to the springs, different are the shock absorbers. So, now the front wheel has increased by 2.2 points, while the back by 1,6. The engineers of Peugeot Sport changed and the corner camper and increased the width by half an inch. Different are also the reverse and even the front now is thinner than the 208 GTI.
Completely different is the braking system, with the brakes being applied by the 4-piston Brembo calipers combined with discs of diameter 323 mm, compared to 308 for the "normal" GTI. Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres, with dimensions 205/40 ZR18.
On the road
In theory, then, it's like getting a 208 GTI and paying a shitload of money to the top guy for your "lion" improvement houseso that you can improvements substantially (i.e. improvement is not an increase in horsepower, but the elimination of weak points and the strengthening of those that excel, especially in handling). In practice, what does it look like?
At the first ride, this little gal is capable of making you shout "vive la France". Once you get used to his cockpit and find your place in the bucket, the... party. You turn the key and the cabin fills with the bass sound produced by the exhaust. You button up first and go.
This Peugeot, is not for any random, for the show-off. It is for the connoisseurfor he who wills to "squeeze" his car on a twisty route, which he wants to to explore the terms and conditionsά of (always on the track, safely, kids!), to fight with the whims of his vehicle, to feel it as an extension of himself. That's what this particular 208 is capable of giving you, which is essentially a rally machine street machine.
In the endless grey of the city, the 208 GTI by Peugeott Sport manages to stand out
Hard, indifferent to any comfort in traffic and behaves like whimsical beauty who knows that whatever he does to you, you enjoy it. In acceleration, the Michelin snip την άσφαλτο και, με τις ελάχιστες διακοπές που κάνεις για να ανεβάσεις σχέση στο ακριβές κιβώτιο, ανεβάζει χιλιόμετρα σαν παλαβό. Λόγω του χαμηλού του βάρους –περίπου 1.100 κιλά– ακόμα και στα πολλά χιλιόμετρα, ο 16άρης κινητήρας δεν κρεμάει.
Μέχρι την ώρα που φτάνεις στην αρχή της στριφτερής διαδρομής σου. Ελάχιστα πριν από την είσοδο της πρώτης καμπής, πλακώνεσαι στα φρένα. The Brembo αρπάζουν με βία το αμάξωμα και επιβραδύνουν όσο ακριβώς θέλεις. Κατέβασμα, παράλληλα, στο ακριβές κιβώτιο, σημαδεύεις το apex και πατάς. Ο THP ουρλιάζει μέχρι περίπου τις 7.000 και το 208 επιταχύνει σαν τρελό βγαίνοντας από τη στροφή, όπου αλλάζεις, για να ξεχυθείς εμπρός, μέχρι την επόμενη. Ξανά και ξανά, μέχρι να τελειώσει το καύσιμο.
Αυτό το 208, όπως κάθε Peugeot που σέβεται τον εαυτό του, έχει την τάση να διώχνει την ουρά με το άφημα του γκαζιού, γεγονός που, για τον έμπειρο αποτελεί βοήθεια στο να χαράξει τις γραμμές του υπό συνθήκες. Ο άπειρος, που θα τολμήσει να πιέσει μετά τα όρια το «πολεμικό» μηχάνημα, ιδιαίτερα δε αν δεν έχει φροντίσει να ζεστάνει τα λάστιχά του, θα φάει ένα μεγαλοπρεπές χαστούκι στην ουρά του (τετ α κε).
Αυτό το 208 είναι λοιπόν ένα καθαρόαιμο Peugeot, worthy της ιστορίας των «λιονταριών» που αδιαφορεί για τον επιδειξία και τον ημιμαθή. Απευθύνεται στον γνώστη, τον αυθεντικό εραστή της οδήγησης και των συγκινήσεων. Διόλου τυχαία, στην επιτάχυνση, υπολείπεται –και μάλιστα ελάχιστα, στο σημείο του ασυναίσθητου- του δίλιτρου Mini Cooper S, όμως είναι μπροστά των ανταγωνιστών του Opel Corsa OPC Performance, Ford Fiesta ST, VW Polo GTI.
Και, επειδή γι’ αυτή την καθαρόαιμη κατασκευή η βαθμολογία των 7 στα 10 δεν μπορεί να πει πολλά, ίσως να μιλά από μόνο του το γεγονός (γιατί περί γεγονότος πρόκειται) ότι αποφάσισα πως το Peugeot 208 GTI by Peugeot Sport θα είναι το επόμενό μου αυτοκίνητο. Σύντομα. Πολύ σύντομα.
