The Gloves Are Off

THE STEERING WHEEL isn’t just unusually small.

- Dan Prosser

Depending on your stature and seating position it might completely obscure the digital speedometer, too, forcing you to crane your neck high or dip your head low to catch a glimpse of it, or otherwise observe the passing trees and lamp posts like Christopher Columbus charting the stars just to vaguely approximate your velocity.

For some people, and perhaps not unfairly, that obscured speedo is reason enough to dismiss the peugeot 308 GTi for good. I can see the speedo, as it happens. perhaps I’m tall enough, or just short enough, or maybe I sit upright enough. Whatever, the fact that I’m not forced to use a knotted rope and an egg timer to calculate my speed means I can approach the 308 GTi with patience and an open mind, rather than huffily write it off within five or or six kilometres.

It’s important that we give this latest generation of sporting peugeots a fair chance, because under the peugeot sport banner they’re being developed with care and attention to detail by people who take this stuff personally. people who really know how to make a hot hatchback swing, in fact, as evidenced by the fun and feisty little 208 GTi by peugeot sport.

The newer, bigger 308 GTi is available in 250 or 270 guise. This is the more powerful version, equipped with the 270hp 1.6-litre turbo engine. In fact, it’s the very car that photographer dean smith runs on evo’s Fast Fleet. as standard it has a Torsen differential, Michelin pilot super sport tyres and, on the front axle, a tasty looking set of alcon brakes.