Spyshots: Peugeot 208 All Covered Up

A Peugeot team has been spotted once again while testing a car that we shouldn’t really see yet. But the thing is, we still haven’t seen anything as the French usually have a tendency to leave nothing to chance and cover the car up completely. Fortunately, the team responsible for out spyshots has informed us that this is the 208, a hatchback that will eventually replace the 207.

Given that we are looking at a tent of plastic with four wheels and windows, it’s very hard to tell what the production car will look like. We can make out that the headlights are even more elongated and swoop toward the A-pillars. The grille is expected to feature the traditional mix of chrome and plastic, but it will reportedly drop the open-mouth look.

Thanks to the partnership with BMW Group, we should see a completely new range of engines arriving under the bonnet. The new 208 will also get a small three-cylinder petrol for the entry-level version.

Rumor has it that the 208 will sport the GTi badge, getting all its sporting credentials from the PSA MINI Cooper S turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol, producing somewhere in the region of 200 hp.

However, performance shouldn’t be Peugeot’s main concern, as the French carmaker is making renewed efforts toward economy. It should surprise no one that the 208 will come with stop/start technology and be made with weight-saving plastics.

It’s still unclear when the 208 will hit the European market, but reports point toward an unveil in late 2012 or early 2013. It should come as a three- and five-door model first, with the sportwagon and coupe-cabriolet following shortly. Our money is on Peugeot also making a sedan version for developing markets.