With everything going on in the compact hot hatch
segment, sometimes it’s easy to overlook Peugeot’s offering, the 308 GTi. The French brand’s challenger to
the likes of the Renault Megane RS, Ford Focus ST, Hyundai i30 N and Volkswagen
Golf GTI has all the right ingredients to make it a favorite among enthusiasts:
menacing looks, reworked chassis and a powerful engine.
The 308 GTi has never really caught on. There aren’t
many tuned examples out there, which is why this one caught our eye. Created by Massimo Arduini, and
Italian touring racing driver, and his team, this one-off 308 GTi has
racing-inspired looks, with reworked front and rear bumpers, new diffuser and
wide fenders on all four corners. It also sits on a pair of 18-inch rims
wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.
Other upgrades include the intercooler and exhaust
system, which, along with more work carried in the engine compartment, have
allowed the turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder unit to generate 302 PS, up from the stock model’s 272 PS.
Stopping power is provided by a set of Brembo 340mm
brake discs, while the stock suspension has been replaced by a KW adjustable
one. Finally, the team behind this 308 GTi has stripped it down to the
essentials, making it weigh just 1,155 kg, or 49 kg less than
a smaller Renault Clio RS. Although no performance figures were released, you
can bet it’s fairly fast – and, with the tuned chassis, quite handy in the
twisty stuff, too.
