The CEO of Peugeot, Maxime Picat has confirmed to Autonews that the French car maker will make an even hotter version of the 208 hatchback->ke304. It will be called the 208 R and Peugeot will place it a notch above the 208 GTi.

Now, the 208 GTi isn't just a throwaway grocery getter, so to speak, it is as mental as the GTi badge on its hatch indicates.The Peugeot 208 is among the smallest and lightest of the micro-hatchbacks, and the GTi takes it one step further by giving it some poke.

The 208 R would pack even more punch than the GTi, enough to spin its front wheels on demand. Having said that, we don't expect Peugeot to give it monumental levels of power, or it would just understeer wildly and ruin the fun.

To put it in perspective, the 208 GTi makes use of a 200-horsepower, 1.6 -liter engine, and its top speed is pegged at 143 mph with a dash from 0 to 60 mph taking 6.8 seconds. We expect the 208 R could use the same powerplant as the GTi albeit with a tweaked ECU to push out an extra 20 to 30 horsepower.

Click past the jump for more speculative details on the 208 R

*Image Note: The above image is of the 208 GTi, not the future 208 R.

Design Details

Peugeot designers would like to work on the exterior of the car, giving it added visual appeal and a handful of R badges, along with attractive rims to match the car.

Inside, we could expect leather interiors with Alcantara trim being a possibility. Swanky sports dials and aluminum pedals would also likely be invited to the party.

All said, the Peugeot 208 R should be a sporty and exciting little French car from the makers of the gorgeous RCZ R coupe. The company also plans a 308 R based on the same principle.

Competition

Renault Clio RS200

And it's a French yet again. Renault make the Clio RS200 keeping in mind the requirements of a young driver with the latest touchscreen device in his hand.

While the engine on the Clio RS200 is similar to that found on the 208 GTi, producing 200 horsepower from 1.6 liters, the Clio gets a track-focused chassis on the "Cup" version. This gives the car a lower ride height and is 15-percent stiffer than the standard offering.

Ford Fiesta ST

Now this should be more familiar. The Ford Fiesta ST is the hotter version of the Fiesta hatchback. Powered by a 1.6-liter, EcoBoost engine, it delivers 180 horsepower, which is 20 less than the Clio RS200 and 208 GTi.

On the upside, the Fiesta is priced lower and has proven to be an all-round hot hatch in an already crowded segment.