Peugeot 308 GTi breaks cover ahead of Goodwood debut

French carmaker Peugeot has unveiled a new hot hatch that offers owners varying degrees of heat and that is focused on real-world roads rather than track-day performance.

A year in development at Peugeot Sport, the company's dedicated performance division, the 308 GTi is propelled forwards by a potent yet frugal a 1.6-liter engine.

It's capable of delivering best-in-class economy figures of 47.1 mpg (6l/100km), whether specified with 247bhp or 286bhp on tap.

Plump for the less potent engine and the car can still go from 0-100km/h in 6.2 seconds while the more powerful unit trims 0.2 seconds off that sprint. However, as well as being slightly quicker off the line, the 286bhp version also has a limited slip deferential for ensuring that torque-steer is limited and that there is always grip in the corners. Also keeping the show on the road is electronic steering and a reworked traction control system that gives the driver some lateral freedom before kicking in and spoiling the fun.

The car will make its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on June 25 and is expected to go on sale in Europe from September.

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