IT’S HARD to believe it’s been 30 years since I had my first, highly unexpected and totally unforgettable experience of a ‘performance’ Peugeot.

It was the 1986 Lombard RAC Rally and I was a six-year-old passenger in my dad’s car travelling gently along a rural road between Staffordshire and Derbyshire when we were overtaken by something with ‘Mad Max’ looks and what sounded like a rocketship engine.

With exhausts flaring, mudflaps flickering and a huge rear spoiler protruding, the iconic machine disappeared into the distance across the moorland road towards Buxton.

It was a Peugeot 205 T16 driven by Juha Kankunnen, the legendary driver from Finland who completed the first of his four World Rally titles that very year before Group B cars were banned for being too fast and dangerous. My dad explained to his rather misty-eyed son that rally cars were driven on the normal roads between special stages - and that Kankunnen was heading for the next service area.

Since that moment, I must confess to having a healthy interest in sporty Peugeots.

To mark the 30th anniversary of the launch of the 205 GTi - the legend of 1980s motoring - Peugeot brought out the 208 GTi 30th a couple of years ago.

And now, an even more exclusive and radical version of the car has taken to the roads and I had the chance to test it.

The 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport is a firm reminder - if one was needed - that the French manufacturer hasn’t forgotten how to build a great hot hatch.

This version of the car has been tweaked and honed by the team over at Peugeot Sport.

The results are rather pleasing, with even more lively driving sensations thanks to the post-production line modifications.

There’s lots of good stuff to transform its behaviour, including a mechanical limited-slip differential on the front axle.

The suspension has also been tuned to a more sporty setting, as have the steering settings.

Meanwhile, ride height lowered by 10mm, and there are also broader track widths.

The car’s handling, aided by Michelin Pilot Super Sport tyres, is quite superb - certainly among the best you could wish to experience.

The steering is responsive, sharp and accurate, making you feel totally in-touch with the road and allowing you to drive with great precision and feel.

This performance ‘Pug’ also pulls you out of corners with great accuracy.

The swift response of the six-speed manual gearbox in the 208 GTi gives the driver excellent acceleration and pick-up.

The engine is a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder unit, with 208PS, providing a 0-62mph time of 6.5 seconds, which feels pretty swift in everyday situations.

In terms of appearance, the car features new textured paintwork, muscular contours and a front end dominated by an intense, feline front face. Its looks are enhanced by the 18-inch wheels.

On the whole, it’s a stylish-looking machine - but in no way over-the-top or outlandish.

Once inside, the cockpit has been designed around the driver, giving you a deeper connection while driving. The steering wheel is small, but you soon get used to it and I found that it actually exaggerates the car’s eagerness.

This version also gets hugely-comfortable sports ‘bucket’ front seats, adding to the dynamic feel of the vehicle.

The interior is decked out with plenty of red highlighting including bright red floor mats.

At £22,365, it’s not a cheap car, it lives up to the expectations created by Peugeot’s successful sporting history.

The days of Kankunnen bursting through the countryside in a 205 T16 or the golden era of the GTi in the 1980s may be long gone, but there’s no doubt that the 208 GTi by Peugeot Sport recaptures some of that past glory.