Peugeot 208

As the rage and rising demand for crossovers and SUVs continues, other car segments have become unwitting bystanders. Sedans are losing their appeal, and the same goes for three-door hatchbacks. The latest to fall victim to this is the three-door version of the Peugeot 208. Word out of the Dutch version of Auto Week indicates that the French automaker is no longer taking orders for the three-door hatch in the Netherlands and that the model is no longer being produced.

In case you were unaware, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is getting underway right this very second, and that means a whole swath of race-ready rides congregating in Colorado to take a swing at the 156 turns and high-altitude craziness that is America’s Mountain. And while simply getting to the top unscathed is in itself quite the accomplishment, some are vying to etch their names into the history books by beating the current standing record time of 8 minutes, 13.878 seconds, set back in 2013 by legendary rally champion Sebastien Loeb in a Peugeot 206 T16. But, as you might expect, such a feat is easier said than done, as evidenced by the above-featured video documenting every turn of Loeb’s incredible blitz to the clouds.

From the off, it’s clear Loeb is holding nothing back. The same talent that earned him an unprecedented nine World Rally Championship titles is very much on display, as is his incredible bravery as he uses every inch of pavement, even with nothing more than heart-stopping drops in place to greet him should he muck it up. The video combines a multitude of camera angles, including a passenger seat POV, in-car shots, bumper shots, and helicopter shots, providing the viewer with a fantastic overview. Also of note is just how clean the run is, with very little in terms of sliding or corrections. Will 2017 be the year Loeb’s record falls? By the look of it – probably not.

Continue reading for the full story.

Launched in 2012 as a replacement for the ageing 207, the Peugeot 208 was designed from a clean sheet and bolted onto an upgraded version of the PSA PF1 platform. It also received new and updated four-cylinder engines and debuted a couple of three-cylinder gasoline units dubbed PureTech. Another important feature that debuted with the hatchback is the i-Cockpit, combining the compact steering wheel with high-level instrumentation, and TouchScreen technology. The i-Cockpit is now available in just about any Peugeot out there. In 2013, the 208 spawned a race-spec T16 Pikes Peak version that set a new record at the famous hill-climb event. A facelift was introduced for the 2015 model year.

Sold for nearly four years now, the Peugeot 208 is here to stay for a couple more years until the French introduce a redesigned model. Although it’s not to say that the hatchback is outdated, Peugeot is doing its best to keep the lineup fresh and the customers coming into dealerships. For 2016, the French firm introduced two new special-edition models, one of which is the Active Design. Based on the Active trim, the Active Design comes with extra standard features and brings customers savings of up to £2,240.

The not-so-good news is that the model is only available in the United Kingdom for the time being. Still, let’s have a closer look at the 208 Active Design to find out what makes it special.

Keep reading to learn all about the Peugeot 208 Active Design

It was March of 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show. The interior lighting was as bright as the sun, and all of the new cars were glistening. Okay, so it probably wasn’t all that elegant, but it is an exaggerated summary of the what it was like when Peugeot debuted the 208 for the first time. Produced in the company’s brand new plant in Slovakia, the 208 initially started out as a three-door hatchback. A year later, Peugeot dropped a five-door hatch version that made cramming into the back seat a little bit easier. The 208 isn’t what you would call a hot hatch by any means – it’s nothing more than a morning snack for a hot hatch like the Focus RS, but as a “supermini” or “B-segment” car, it serves its purpose quite well in crowded cities.

As a replacement for the Peugeot 207, and built on PSA’s PF1 platform, this little hatch is offered with no fewer than three gasoline engines and three diesel engines – all of which are four-cylinders that deliver anywhere between 68 horsepower and 198 horsepower in the 208 GTi. Oh wait, there is a little bit of hot hatch in that DNA. Anyway, with a few more years on the calendar before a new model is ushered in, Peugeot has decided to expand the 208 lineup with a pair of special editions models. This one is the Allure Premium edition, and it brings a number of enhancements that Peugeot says will save you money over the standard model equipped with the equivalent options.

With that said, let’s take a quick look at what makes the Allure Premium so special and why I’m taking the time to tell you about it today.

Continue reading to learn more about the Peugeot Allure Premium

The Peugeot 208 was first unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show as a replacement for the Peugeot 207, and by February of 2016, the production hit a total of 300,000 examples. It initially started out as a three-door hatchback, but was later produced as a five-door hatchback as well. In the short time that it has been in production, it has spawned several other variants like the Peugeot 208 T16 Pike Peak Racecar, Peugeot 208 GTi, and GTi Sport, and the Peugeot 208 R, which slots in above the GTi trim level.

Back in 2014, Peugeot introduced the Peugeot 208 GTi 30th anniversary edition that was designed to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Peugeot 205 GTi. Now with 2016 well underway, Peugeot is announcing the Peugeot 208 XS Special Edition – a model that is said to enhance personalization and increased desirability. If you’re interested in obtaining one of these special-edition models, you might want to get in touch with your local dealer quickly. Produced is limited to just 2,000 examples and is already available for order.

The Peugeot 208 XS Special Edition is said to have a decent list of standard features and a choice of various colors and exterior personalization packs. So, with that said, let’s take a closer look at it and go over the details.

Continue reading to learn more about the Peugeot 208 XS Special Edition.

The Peugeot 208 GTi is a sports hatchback that doesn’t get nearly the same amount of love as it should. The standard 208 GTi may not excite people’s senses that much, but Peugeot is confident that the 208 GTi 30th Anniversary Edition will do just that.

Developed to celebrate the 205 GTi’s 30th anniversary, the special edition 208 GTi channels the sportiness of the standard version of the model and ups the ante in the form of an upgraded style and improved performance. Those two elements combine to create a visually appealing package that gives the Peugeot hatch a sportier and more aggressive appeal that isn’t usually reserved for a car of this stature.

Peugeot is presenting the 208 GTi 30th Anniversary Edition at the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed before making another appearance at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. Sales of the model are expected to commence this November 2014, giving customers enough time to learn more about Peugeot’s newest special edition model.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2014 Peugeot 208 GTi 30th Anniversary Edition.

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. 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.

If you had any doubts on what an amazing car the newPeugeot 208 T16 racecar is, you’ll need to take a look at its latest achievement. The 208 T16 was specially designed to smash the world record at the famous Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and it did almost two weeks ago. With Sebastien Loeb behind the wheel, it managed to climb the famous hill in 8:13.878.

Last weekend, the Peugeot changed continents and smashed a different record at a completely different race: the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed. In England, the 208 T16, with Peugeot Sport test-driver Grégory Guilvert brhind the wheel, the powerful racer managed to run the Goodwood hill climb in just 45.86 seconds, making it the fastest car of the weekend.

This time is as a coincidence the same time posted by Nick Heidfeld in the Group C prototype Lola B12/60 racecar.

Click past the jump for the video.

For all the accolades and accomplishments Sebastien Loeb has garnered in his illustrious career, he just put another impressive notch on his belt at the recent Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Loeb’s scintillating run up Pikes Peak on board the Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak Racecar only took 8:13.878, a staggering time that crushed the previous Pikes Peak record of 9:46 that was set by Rhys Millen just last year.

Wrap your heads around that and it’s easy to point out that Loeb’s record-breaking run up the mountain beat the existing top lap time by more than 90 seconds!

If there ever was a fitting way to describe "destruction" this would be it.

What makes Loeb’s time even more incredible is that Millen, the incumbent record-holder before Loeb put him in his place, likewise posted a blistering lap time on board his fully modified Hyundai Genesis, clocking in 9:02.192, almost 45 seconds faster than the record time he set last year, yet was still 45 seconds slower than Loeb’s time.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you ever want to put your stamp on a world record, this is how you do it.

Just complete and total annihilation.

Click past the jump to read about the Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak Racecar

If at some point you decide to take up the wonderful world of building race cars, you might want to take a look at the how Peugeot was able to build the 208 T16 Pikes Peak race car.

Don’t worry; this build didn’t take up weeks. It didn’t take days; heck, it didn’t even take hours.

It only took them 45 seconds.

Ok, it’s a time-lapse video, which means that the whole thing has been edited. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that what Peugeot did was impressive.

It started from scratch right in front of our eyes and then quickly morphed into a bona fide Pikes Peak-conquering race car, complete with a new body, a suspension unit, and its own powertrain.

That’s the power of modern science and engineering, fellas.

Ok, mixed in with nifty editing but that’s not the point.

Click past the jump to read about the Peugeot 208 T16 Pikes Peak race car

Rally legend, Sebastian Loeb, is considered one of the greatest drivers in the world, having taken home nine WRC titles in his illustrious car. For a man that’s no stranger to winning, Loeb is poised to take on his next challenge: taking down Pikes Peak.

And for that, Peugeot announced that it had “borrowed” Loeb from Citroen to drive the company’s new 208-derived T16 Pikes Peak race car.

The car itself is expected to compete in the Unlimited Class of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Performance details have yet to be announced, but expect this racecar to pack in tremendous amounts of power, possibly even reaching 1,000 horsepower.

The race car looks like it’s been given copious amounts of carbon fiber to go with extended side skirts and a side-exiting exhaust. A massive rear wing also part of the design, as is an interior that’s been stripped down to accommodate nothing more than racing equipment.

A carbon-fiber racing seat can clearly be seen inside a roll cage. There’s also a digital instrument cluster, alloy pedals, and an Alcantara-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters.

UPDATE 05/29/13: Peugeot unveiled a new video presenting the 208 T16 Pikes Peak race car during a testing session at Mont Ventoux. Enjoy!

Click past the jump to read about Peugeot’s return to Pikes Peak and the 208 that this racer is based on.

Anybody that has ever been a fan of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will attest that the event holds a unique place of its own amid the races in a calendar year.

For French automaker Peugeot, 1988 and 1989 were special years, as it scored back to back triumphs with Ari Vatanen and Robby Unser. The two drivers won Pikes Peak while driving a Peugeot 405 T16 Grand Raid, a car that gained notoriety for having a wheel steering system on top of its prevalent use of carbon Kevlar variant on its body to go with a new chassis made of sheet steel and tubular steel.

In tribute of those two successful runs at Pikes Peak, Peugeot released a special tribute video directed by Jean Louis Mourney called “Climb Dance”. Well, for those that haven’t seen the video, Peugeot has digitally-remastered the film, which not only means you can watch the whole thing over again, but you’re watching a version that’s more appropriate to the high-definition times of today.

Click past the jump to check out Peugeot’s new ride for the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

We’ve already seen three racing versions of the Peugeot 208, with the latest one being the Peugeot 208 R2 Rally Car. Well, now the French automaker is prepared to release the fourth racing variant in the form of the 208 GTi Peugeot Sport.

On the outside, you get the typical Peugeot racing livery, which includes: blue, yellow, black and red striping, a monstrous rear wing, and various sponsor stickers. You also get a set of black rims sized 18 inches wrapped up in racing tires. The entire car comes in at a svelte 990 kg (2,182 pounds).

Under the hood, the 208 GTi features a 1,600 cc turbocharged engine, which it borrows from its road-going variant. Depending on the racing regulations, Peugeot Sport will tune this powerplant to between 200 and 300 horsepower. The engine hooks up to a six-speed gearbox with paddle shifters. Keeping the 208 GTi fed with plenty of fuel is a 100-liter (26.4-gallon) gas tank, which allows this racer to stay on the track longer between fill-ups.

The GTi Peugeot Sport will make its racing debut at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in May. Unfortunately, Peugeot has not revealed any pricing details.

French automaker Peugeot has been a staple in the rally scene for as long as we can remember. So when word leaks out that they’re planning to reveal their next generation rally car, people tend to take notice.

At the 2012 Paris Motor Show later this month, Peugeot is bringing the all-new 208 Type R5, the car that’s slated to become their new prized steed at the Intercontinental Rally Challenge.

Needless to say, the 208 Type R5 has some pretty big shoes to fill in large part because its successor, the 207 Super 2000, rang up championships - three IRC drivers and manufacturers titles - during its time at the IRC.

The racer will have to adhere to regulations set by S2000 category. What that means is that the 208 Type R5 has been fitted with a number of racing components, including widened tracks, a spoiler, an increase in the wheel arches to accommodate a new set of 18" wheels. All these were done while keeping attention on the series’ minimum weight set of 1,200kg for the gravel and asphalt versions.

"Based on an optimisation of costs", explains Bertrand Vallat, the Type R5’s project leader, "the regulations impose, among other things, a maximum price for certain parts and technical limitations such as a minimum weight of components of the chassis and engine. In addition, a certain number of components of the vehicle must be similar. The hub carrier is a perfect example. All four must be identical. This makes operation considerably easier and limits costs and stocking."

The 208 Type R5 is powered by a 1.6-liter turbo engine that produces 280 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 295 lb/ft of torque at 2,500 rpm. The four-wheel drive system sends power to all four wheels thanks to a 5-speed sequential gearbox and two self-locking differentials.

As far as expectations are concerned, Peugeot is shooting for the stars, Vallat said: “The regulations impose, among other things, a maximum price for certain parts and technical limitations such as a minimum weight of components of the chassis and engine.”

“We are aiming for performance which is slightly higher than S2000,” he adds.

UPDATE 1/25/2013: The 208 Type R5 has just completed its second round of testing and it is all set to be delivered. According the Peugeot, it will open its order book in March 2013, so race teams mark your calenders!

UPDATE 05/01/13: The 208 Type R5 has been re-christened as the 208 T16 and Peugeot has released a new video of the rally car in action. Check it out by clicking on the photo above.

Fans of rally racing, especially those that know the history of the sport, know who Ari Vatanen is. His political career as a Member of the European Parliament notwithstanding, Vatanen is also famous for winning the World Rally Championship drivers’ title in 1981 and the Paris Dakar Rally four times.

One of the teams Vatanen raced for was Peugeot, where he won three of his four aforementioned Dakar Rally titles. So it’s not all that surprising that when Peugeot decided to tease its new 208 Type R5 Rally Car, it tapped Vatanen to be the one to get first dibs on it.

The teaser video shows Vatanen wearing his traditional coat and tie that has come to be known as a trademark of sorts since he entered the world of politics. But upon laying eyes on the still-covered 208 Type R5 rally car, Vatanen decided to strip down to something a little more comfortable: a fire-resistant racing suit.

Our question is: how is this car different from the 208 Type R5 that made its debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show?

Hopefully, Peugeot has answers for us in the coming weeks.

After at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show Peugeot has unveiled the 208 GTi concept car, this September’s Paris Auto Show will bring the unveiling of the 208 GTi production version. The new model will arrive on the market in the spring of 2013.

When compared to the standard 208, the GTi version is lower and wider (10 mm front and 20 mm rear) and of course it is much more powerful. Under the hood Peugeot has placed a 1.6-liter turbo gasoline engine that delivers a total of 197 HP and a peak torque of 203 lb-ft. Mated to a 6-speed, close-ratio manual transmission, the new 208 GTi will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in less than seven seconds and will go up to a top speed of 140 mph.

"With the 208 GTi, our objective was to produce an engaging sporty performance driving pleasure, an experience that speaks immediately to all enthusiasts: performance, power, reactivity, and an aura of respect and desire. While the 205 GTi was naturally our inspiration, the 208 GTi is its modern interpretation.” Gaëtan Demoulin, Peugeot Customer Synthesis Manager.

Hit the jump to read more about the 2013 Peugeot 208 GTi.

In February, we gave you some information on the 208 GTI concept car. Just like most concept cars, we were not certain when, or even if, the GTI model of the 208 hatchback would ever see the production line. Well, the mystery is over, as Peugeot has officially greenlighted the production of the 208 GTI. There is still no concrete release date, but at least we know it will be released at some point.

This hot hatch will include a version of the 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine that the Mini Cooper and Citroen DS3 uses. This turbo-4 will have two variants, one that pumps out 154 ponies and the other that punches out a stout 204 horsepower.

The 204-horsepower model is rumored to be dubbed the 208 GTI Racing and can zip to 60 mph in sub-7-second times, which is truly impressive for a compact hatchback. Despite its quick nature, the GTI will not boast any suspension upgrades, so you can anticipate almost identical handling to its base 208 counterpart.

As usual with Peugeots, the U.S. Market won’t even get to sniff one, unless it is imported from overseas and brought up to U.S. Safety and emission standards.

We are still hanging tight to hear what kind of pricing we are looking at for this hatch, so we will keep you up to date with that and the anticipated release date, when they become available.

Just recently we showed you how Peugeot was using a painfully limber dancer to help sell its newest vehicle, the 208. Peugeot has now released that there has been a new model of the 208 that has been in production since it became a concept. This new model is the 208 R2 Rally Car.

What’s better is that Peugeot is not only using this model as the replacement for the 207 Super 2000, but the French automaker is also offering this FIA-approved rally car for sale to the general public. That’s right, if you are looking to get into rally racing, you can walk into a Peugeot dealership, actually the Peugeot Sport Racing Shop, lay down a large sum of money and walk out owning a “rally ready” hatchback.

With some certainty we can say that the chances of the 2013 208 R2 Rally Car having the exact same specifications as Peugeot’s actual rally model are very low. Having said that, this model comes already certified and you can jump into lower level rally races and possibly take home some cash prizes.

Click past the jump to read our full review.

We haven’t seen a new Peugeot sold in the U.S. since the company pulled out of our market in 1991, and we will likely never see one again, despite their loose ties to Chrysler. This doesn’t mean that they don’t produce some cool cars, which they most certainly do. Another cool thing they do is take risks when it comes to marketing. This can lead to an absolute win or a complete loss.

This leads us to the all-new Peugeot 208, which is the European super-mini car that the automaker released as the XY Concept in Geneva. This isn’t your typical run-of-the-mill super-mini, however, as it features an impressively modern design that takes the super-mini class to a whole new level. But we are not here to talk about the 208 and its deceptively large cabin, and ultra-low emissions diesel engines. Nope, we are here to talk about only one thing… Dancing!

That’s right, Peugeot it pulling out all the stops in advertising the new 208 with the release of the “Let your Body Drive” ad campaign. It features Marquese “Nonstop” Scott – a dancer who gained fame from a viral video – performing some sweet moves around a parking lot.

Little homage is paid to the 208, as the video centers around Scott’s dancing. It’s kind of similar to those blue jeans commercials that have more to do with a scantily clad person than the jeans themselves. The commercial is just there to get your attention and make you remember it. Ah, isn’t marketing cool!

So kick back and crank up your speakers, then watch the above video of something that would likely injure most of us. We think this one is an absolute win for Peugeot. Have a look at the car too; it’s really pretty cool… for a super-mini.

Peugeot will be unveiling next month at the Geneva Motor Show the 208 GTi Concept - a tribute to the legendary 205 GTi offered by the company back in 1984. Peugeot said nothing about a production version just yet, but for sure we will see it by the end of the year.

The 208 GTi concept will be distinguished by chequered-flag motifs that embellish the metal mesh of the grille, a double chromed exhaust tailpipes, aero lower bodywork spoilers and lower sill skirt extensions. Peugeot has placed a brushed aluminum GTi Concept logo that reminds of the old 205 GTi.

For the interior the concept adds a sports leather stitched steering wheel, sports seats trimmed with Nappa leather on the outer section, and cloth in the center with an embossed tartan motif, and a leather head restraint. The fascia capping is dressed in Alcantara with grey stitching, the roof lining is entirely black and the pedals are aluminum.

Under the hood Peugeot has placed a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine that delivers a total of 197 HP and 203 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a six-speed manual transmission and sprints the car from 0 to 60 mph in under 7 seconds.

Although not set for to debut until 2012, rumors about the future Peugeot are starting to circulate more and more throughout the automotive press. Set to compete with smaller models like Ford’s Fiesta, the future 208 will be a replacement for the current 207. The rumored design is believed to be inspired by both the RC Hybrid concept and the newly launched 3008 SUV.

The centerpiece of the front end, the large mouthed grill and swept back headlights are a direct inspiration from the 3008. However, where the SUV is rounded and more docile, the 208 is bolder and much more aggressive.