Peugeot is a brand on the rebound at the moment, pumping out attractive cars designed to appeal to modern city dwellers. The upcoming 3008 SUV fits that bill, and even though it hasn't debuted yet it is already being treated to a faster GT version along with some prettier trimmings that prioritize style over speed.
Putting aside the question of why you really need a more powerful city SUV, the 3008 GT sounds like a pretty appealing package. Under the hood is a 2.0-liter turbodiesel motor with 133 kW (178 hp) of power and 400 Nm (295 lb.ft) of torque, channeled to the front wheels through PSA's EAT6 six-speed automatic gearbox.
On the outside, you can tell more powerful Peugeots from their garden variety siblings through the flared wheelarches and diamond cut alloy rims, wrapped in 235/50R19 tires. Working in tandem with a tweaked suspension package, the tires are designed to improve lateral grip. Whether or not that also means a stiffer, less pliant ride remains to be seen.
If you really want to be noticed, you can spec a two-tone Coupe Franche paintjob which is made up of matte and chrome paint, along with a healthy serving of showmanship. Coupled with the car's prominent front grille and edgy window line, we think it makes for an SUV able to stand out among the ever-growing ranks of high-riding city-slickers.
Opening the door reveals a cabin that, like the regular car's, revolves around Peugeot's iCockpit layout. As well as giving drivers access to the usual range of radio, media, navigation and climate control information, the 3008 GT will cater for owners keen to personalise the dynamic feel of their cars.
Meanwhile, designers have tried to lift the overall material quality with copper and satin chrome highlights and stitching. There's also an option for real wood and Nappa leather if you really feel like treating yourself.
In the full-fat GT, all of these little touches are designed to work with the more powerful motor to deliver a special-feeling and sportier drive. In lesser GT-Line cars, the styling tweaks are more about making people think you've paid for a more powerful car with GT Line badging, a redesigned bumper and 18-inch two-tone wheels.
The 3008 GT and GT-Line will be launched at the Paris Motor Show in September. In the meantime, we've got Peugeot 208 GTi and 308 GTi rolling through the Gizmag garage in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for our reviews.
Source: Peugeot
