Peugeot 207 GT Turbo 3

Last week, our test of the full-strength GTi left us wanting more, while in Issue 931 the left-hand-drive European-spec GT couldn’t match the dynamic abilities of MINI’s Cooper S. The entry-level turbocharged variant has just arrived in the UK, so how does it cope with Britain’s challenging tarmac? At the heart of the Peugeot is an engine co-developed with BMW. Also used in the Cooper S, the 1.6-litre turbo is a masterpiece of petrol engineering. Tuned to produce 150bhp at 5,800rpm and 240Nm of torque at only 1,400rpm, it gives easily accessible performance in real-world conditions, and the car is a pleasure to drive. That low-down torque lets the GT pull hard in any gear, while revving it through to the red line deli-vers more thrilling acceleration.