Fridae

No review of the 207 GTi can go without mentioning the iconic 205 GTi which was conceived in the early 1980s. It was the first ever front wheel drive car that was regarded as a driver's car. Peugeot had a hard time replicating the success of the model that literally put its fortunes into the right direction. Peugeot avoided a direct replacement for the 205 by launching two models in the early 1990s, the 106 and the 306. The Peugeot 306 GTi was particularly well liked by hot hatch lovers. Eventually, the French carmaker had to launch a direct replacement for the 205, hence the Peugeot 206 in 1998, which was a tremendous commercial success. However, the sporting variant, the 206 GTi met with huge criticisms as it was neither sporty nor fun to drive. Worse, it was not even fast as it only had 138 horsepower, hardly adequate for a performance orientated model. Feeling hurt by fellow French carmaker Renault's success with the Clio's sporting variants, Peugeot attempted a strike back by bumping up the 206 GTi's power to 180 horsepower. Too little too late, the 206 GTi was hardly a bright moment for Peugeot.

As the power war soared to new heights among hot hatches, Peugeot's latest 207 GTi had plenty on its shoulders. To match its ultra successful predecessor (205 GTi) and it also had to content with the emerging minimum 200 bhp hot hatch brigade. Not an easy task at all.

Styling
Peugeot's track record with hatchback designs is superb even without input from Pininfarina since 1998's 206. The attractively styled Peugeot 207 GTi has all four wheels at each corner stance with no overhangs at either ends. The signature Peugeot silhouette gives the 3-door only 207 GTi a very purposeful look especially with its standard 17-inch alloy wheels. An achievement considering the beauty in the lines did not compromise the practical aspect of the French hot hatch.

Performance
Sharing a similar engine block with the latest Mini Cooper S, the 1.6 litre turbocharged engine in the 207 GTi is simply a joy as it goes from zero to 100km/h in 7.1 secs. Unexpectedly, the Peugeot 207 GTi retains the services of a 5-speed gearbox that should have been pensioned off. The gear changes are notchy as rifling changes from first to third could have you clogged in fifth gear and embarrassment. Also, the high-ish clutch offered some challenges to engage the first gear. Such little niggles aside, the Peugeot 207 GTi offers very assessable performance while offering decent fuel economy, rated at a very wallet-friendly 13.8 km/l. While some might grasp at the 207 GTi having only 175 horsepowers, I am thoroughly please to tell you that the delivery of these 175 horsepowers is both prompt and easy as the turbo lag is non-existent.

Ride and Handling
Peugeot's success with the mcpherson/front and torsion beam/rear layout was a love affair that started way back in the early 1980s and it continues in the new 207 GTi. Benefits of relying on this suspension setup would be its compactness, hence not intruding into interior space while providing sound ride quality. However, the torsion beam could not provide the dynamic edge over an independent multi link rear suspension. Dismissing the Peugeot 207 GTi's as a driver's car is at your peril. There is a phenomenon amount of grip from the huge 17" alloy wheels and there are plenty of electronics to watch your back as the 207 GTi dares you to take the next corner with more speed than one would usually do.

Interior
The Peugeot 207 is the longest supermini on sale at 4.03 metres long and its length has been put into good use. In the form of the GTi, the front spots a pair of the most comfortable and stylish sports buckets seats in the business. Their relatively huge size does rob rear passengers some leg room but is hardly a problem as the 207 GTi's rear accommodation is capable of putting coupes of much greater physical footprint to shame. As expected from the French manufacturer these days, the material and build quality used in the 207 GTi interior rivals its German counterparts. Strangely, I noted an abrasion on my left tricep as the huge bucket seats seem to interfere with my gear changes.

Finishing Line�
The 207 GTi is priced to appeal to the youth market as it has an affordable price tag and realistic running costs. Its handling may not be the sharpest among hot hatch rivals but it is far from poor, especially considering the surprising good levels of ride comfort. A rather poor gearbox threatened to mar the strong performing engine of the 207 GTi which is shared with BMW's new Mini Cooper S, but that will not stop the Peugeot 207 GTi from being a wonderful all-rounder hot hatch.

	Peugeot 207 GTi
Engine	Front, transverse, twin cam 16-valve Variable Valve Timing, 4 Cyls in line, 1598cc, Turbocharged petrol
Transmission	5-speed Manual
Max. Power	175hp@ 6000rpm
Max. Torque	260nm@1600rpm
0-100 km/h	7.1 secs
Top speed	220 km/h
Fuel Economy	13.8 km/L (combined cycle)
CO2 Emissions	171 g/km (Euro IV compliant)
Dimensions (L x W x H) / Weight	4,030x1,748x1,470 / 1,325 kg
Price with COE*	$89,900*

*Prices quoted are indicative of prices in Singapore. Please contact your local distributor for prices in your country.