- Top 6 Peugeot GTi models
- Which one have you had, and which is your fave?
- New Peugeot E-208 GTi set to launch
- Order books due to open soon
These are the Top 6 GTi models from Peugeot - as the French firm prepares to launch the all-new E-208 GTi.
The famous GTi badge is, of course, slapped on Peugeot’s hottest models.
The most famous of which is arguably the 205 GTi from the 80s and 90s that set a new benchmark for hot hatch shenanigans.
But what was the first ever Peugeot GTi, and what do those three letters actually stand for?
Find out below as we walk you through six of the best.
PEUGEOT 604 GTI (1983-1985)
The first Peugeot to wear the GTi badge wasn’t a hot hatch - it was the 604, a large, executive saloon favoured by company directors and government officials. Unveiled in 1983, the luxurious four-door 604 GTi became Peugeot’s top-of-the-range model.
It was packing a 2.8-litre V6 engine with 148 hp.
And what does GTi stand for? It means ‘Grand Touring Injection’. So, it’s perhaps odd that we no longer associate the label with grand tourers.
PEUGEOT 205 GTi (1984-1994)
A spokesperson for Peugeot tells us: “The now legendary 205 GTi became shorthand for what a hot hatch should be: light, compact, lively, and endlessly exhilarating.”
It launched with a 1.6-litre inline four-cylinder engine producing 105 hp. This was quickly uprated to 115 hp and then joined by a 130 hp 1.9-litre version. Both models had a five-speed manual gearbox. The result was rapid acceleration that propelled them from 0 to 62 mph in 8.7 and 7.8 seconds respectively.
That might sound sluggish now, but it was rapid back in the day, and the 205 GTi handled like it was on rails.
That was aided by an ultra light kerb weight of just 848 kg for the 1.6 and 910 kg for the 1.9.
Peugeot adds: “Throw in front-wheel drive with unassisted razor-sharp steering and the little hot hatch’s responsiveness to driver inputs made every journey a joy. To this day, the 205 GTi maintains its rightfully earned a reputation as one of the greatest hot hatches ever made.”
PEUGEOT 309 GTi (1987-1993)
Often overlooked, but not to be underestimated, the 309 GTi had a lot to live up to. And it did so with an all-round ability that built its own fanbase. With a longer wheelbase and wider track than the 205 GTi, its performance was easy to access through fast corners. And despite power steering and reworked suspension, it only added 20 kg compared with the 205 GTi that it shared its 1.9-litre engine with.
Outsold five to one by its little brother, the 309 GTi was nonetheless a fast, focused, fun hot hatch with room in the back, a decent-sized boot and even a five-door option.
PEUGEOT 106 GTi (1996-2003)
The mid-90s saw Peugeot create more hot hatch royalty with the 106 GTi – a spiritual successor to the 205 GTi. While the 106 was introduced in 1991 it wasn’t until 1996 that the GTi version arrived to sit above the stripped-out Rallye model.
A 1.6-litre 16-valve engine produced 118 hp and 145 Nm of torque for 0 to 62 mph in 7.4 seconds and a 127 mph top speed. But it was the handling that earned it rave reviews: sharp and responsive, the 106 GTi was agile with plenty of feel through its chunky steering wheel. Quite rightly, it's considered a modern classic.
PEUGEOT 208 GTi by PEUGEOT Sport (2013-2019)
The Peugeot 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport is a hardcore, performance-focused version of the standard 208 GTi.
The distinctive black and red paint scheme is pretty much unmistakable, like the little hot hatch is trying to outrun lava from an erupting volcano!
It boasts a 1.6-litre engine that produces 205 hp and which enables the mighty mouse to launch from 0-62mph in just 6.5 seconds.
It won plaudits for being an engaging hot hatch that enabled drivers to brake deeper into corners and accelerate earlier out of them.
PEUGEOT E-208 GTi (2025-)
This is the one we’re all waiting for - the incoming E-208 GTi.
It’s the first fully-electric GTi and will come with power of 280hp, 345 Nm torque, and the ability to sprint to 62mph in 5.7 seconds.
That makes it the fastest accelerating GTi in Peugeot’s history, while it also has the best power-to-weight ratio in its class at 175 hp per tonne - 33 hp per tonne more than the celebrated 205 GTi 1.9.
Order books are due to open in the first half of 2026 - and it could happen in a matter of weeks.
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