(continued from above)
The first sensations are visual; they are revealed as soon as the GTi Concept
is discovered. Striking red paintwork, rich and very deep, with black
reflections, adorns the entire body. Moving a little closer, the bonnet and roof
unveil their secret: a web in check motif has slipped under the multiple layers
of paint and varnish.
Directly inspired by the flag known to all motor sports enthusiasts, this motif
also embellishes the metal mesh of the grille, the lower bar of which proudly
affirms its origins by displaying the French flag.
With their black lacquered color, the grille beam and the lower skirt of the
rear bumper are highlighted by an affirmed contrast. Splashes of red tie in the
exterior and the interior of the GTi Concept. Diamond cut and varnished, the 18"
wheel rims are also embellished with red, as is the chromed double exhaust
tailpipe, on its inner faces, and the hollow lettering of the Marque on the
grille, without forgetting the "GTi Concept" logo in brushed aluminum, affixed
on the quarter panels as a reminder of its illustrious predecessor the legendary
205 GTi.
In the passenger compartment, the stitching and the center mark of the leather
steering wheel in a sports design, the sides of the gear lever, the double
stitching of the seats and the LED backlighting of the surrounds of the very
technological counters all create a resolutely sporty ambiance by combining with
red.
Installed in a seat with different material seat - Nappa leather on the outer
section, cloth central section with an embossed tartan motif, leather head
restraint - the driver takes in his hands a steering wheel with a pronounced
lower flat section, bearing the "GTi Concept" logo set in the aluminum ring.
Furthermore, the rim of the steering wheel is covered with red perforations,
taking up the check motif.
To perfect this sporty atmosphere, the dashboard capping is in alcantara with
grey stitching, whereas the roof is entirely black and the pedal bracket is
aluminum. Finally, the dashboard strip and the vents combine the red and the
black in a subtle gradation, whereas the check web also adorns the aluminum door
crossbars.
The GTi Concept could only be fitted with one engine, that from the RCZ THP 200.
Combined with a 6-speed manual gearbox, the 1.6 l THP engine puts its driver at
the controls of a machine creating previously unknown sensations, renewed thanks
to an extensively reviewed instruments and controls.
Thanks to the small steering wheel, the driver is at one with his vehicle and
always sets it on the right course, without taking his eyes off the road. In
fact, in his line of sight, the information is provided by the elevated
instrument panel the dials of which have a brushed aluminum background and very
precise graduations.
Taking full advantage of the compactness and lightness, the roadholding is
excellent and precise. It is the result of a chassis with tracks that have been
widened by 36 mm at the front and at the rear, as well as a sports spoiler
echoing the forms of the roof and providing the down force necessary. For
optimum braking distances, the GTi Concept is equipped with four discs, of a
diameter of 302 mm at the front and 249 mm at the rear, clamped by calipers that
are also painted red.
