The story behind the design of the new EV performance star, the Peugeot E-208 GTi

Last summer, Peugeot joined the retro wave of 1980s-inspired auto design with the announcement of the forthcoming E-208 GTi. The all-electric performance hatchback is nearly here, albeit with a rather more muted roar than the original 205 GTi, the car that kickstarted the enthusiast community’s obsession with compact performance back in 1984.

Peugeot has been unashamed about the influence of the old upon the new, describing the original car as a ‘sporty yet subtle design… that set the template for every GTi model that followed’. Matthias Hossann, the company’s design director, describes how this the debt to motoring pleasure came about.

‘Designing E-208 GTi was really a question of balance,’ Hossann says, ‘Our philosophy was that we didn’t want to go too far in one particular direction, so it’s a balance between performance and elegance. We didn’t want the exterior design to be too overstated or to show off too much. If you love cars, you will look at E-208 GTi and immediately see that it’s a GTi because of its stance. If you’re not an expert, you will still see a beautiful 208.’

Unlike other contemporary retro efforts – the Mini, Fiat 500 and Renault’s 4 and 5 spring to mind – Peugeot’s approach to homage is rather more muted. Like the original, the E-208 GTi is wider and lower than the regular model it is based upon. The subtly flared wheel arches are finished with a pinstripe red-line graphic, just like the original, while there’s a new front spoiler and gloss black aerodynamic diffuser at the rear.

‘We have more than 200 years of history; heritage is our backbone and we are super respectful of that,’ admits Hossann. ‘But Peugeot also looks to the future. The reason we’re still here after 200 years of history is that we’re dedicated to producing carefully designed products for the new generation of customers.’

Back in 2018, the company showed the e-Legend concept, inspired by another classic Peugeot – the 504 Coupe – as another example of how the past is carried through to the present.

‘With both cars, we took heritage but pushed it into the future,’ the designer says. ‘It's always interesting looking at past colours and shapes, then we tweak it and move it into the future to make it a proper Peugeot. Once again, it’s a question of balance. With E-208 GTi, there was no question of doing a purely retro design. But we did want to keep our heritage. We're really proud of that, but we wanted to twist it with innovation and push it into the future.’

The large 18-inch wheels are another nod to the original 205 GTi, especially the Speedlines fitted to the 1.9-litre model. ‘The centre curve of the wheel is like the 1.6 and the exterior shape is more like the 1.9,’ says Hossann. ‘It’ll remind people who know all about 205 GTi of that car and people who don’t know about that will still say it’s a good rim.’

The new E-208 GTi will be available seven colours, a few of which are directly taken from the original 205 era. They include Okénite White, Elixir Red, Miramar Blue, Nera Black, Cumulus Grey, Selenium Grey and Agueda Yellow. Inside, red is very much the dominant colour as these images attest. Peugeot’s signature compact steering wheel uses leather and Alcantara and the 208 GTi is generously splashed around.

‘On the seats, we have a finish like we used to have in the 205 GTi with two materials: Alcantara and special red textiles, with a central red line that extends across the seat and backrest,’ says Hossann. The devil is very much in the details; just like in the original, flashes of red, elevated materials and uprated bodywork have come together to signify a heritage of performance.

‘I think E-208 GTi is a good example of using the right proportion of our heritage but taking it into in the future,’ Hossan concludes. ‘This is the overall mindset that we have in the design studio when we’re working on the next generation of Peugeot models.’

Peugeot E-208 GTi, more information at Peugeot.co.uk, @Peugeot