Can’t find a Peugeot 205 GTi for sensible money? Fortunately, the car maker has a garage full of other equally talented hot hatches from yesteryear that are cheaper. How about a 306 GTi-6 for £4500? The 1999 T-reg car has done 93,000 miles and has a good service history and a fresh cambelt.
Other hot Peugeots for normal money include the subjects of this week’s guide: the 106 GTi and 106 Rallye. Prices start at £2000 for the GTi but a smidgen more for the Rallye, while at the other extreme they peak at around £13,000.
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They may both be 106s but the GTi and Rallye are quite different from each other. In fact, there were actually two Rallyes. The first, called the S1, was launched in 1994. A pared-down homologation special with raw driving appeal at its heart, it was designed to qualify for sub1400cc rallying and is powered by a fuel-injected 1.3-litre, eight-valve engine producing 99bhp. That doesn’t sound much today, but this is a car that weighs just 825kg. A close-ratio five-speed gearbox, a sparkling chassis with stiffened anti-roll bars and non-assisted steering, a stripped-out cabin, lairy graphics and purposeful-looking steel wheels complete the picture.
Only around 1000 were sold and very few examples have survived. However, seek and ye shall find. As this was written, a very tidy 1994- reg with 150,000 miles was being auctioned. With a week to go, bidding had reached £5000, a figure below the seller’s reserve.
In 1998, the S1 Rallye was followed by the S2. Based on the facelifted Phase 2 106 of 1996, it too was a homologation special. It was powered by a 1.6-litre version of the S1’s 1.3-litre engine, with 103bhp. Again not much, but with a kerb weight of just 865kg, it didn’t need to be. The S2 shares its suspension with the 106 GTi and, unlike the S1, which has drum brakes at the rear, it has discs all-round. The steel wheels, strippedout cabin and racy colours remain. Of the two, purists prefer the S1 for its revvier engine and feather-light weight; on the other hand, the S2 feels quicker through the gears. Both offer a level of driver involvement that few modern cars can emulate.
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Always wanted a GTi! My first car was a 106, it was brand new. However, at 18, it was the 1.1 Zest 2 model that came with 2 years free insurance. Standard equipment was a pop up sunroof and an aftermarket CD player. Perfect first car
I absolutely loved my 106 GTi, it egged you on to drive it harder and harder, and it was so playful at the limit. If a car is to be juged on fitness for purpose then it had a solid 5 out of 5. Although by today's standards the short gearing with 4k+ rpm on the motorway would probably be unacceptable, as would the lack of aircon.
Diablo Red V533GNN where are you now?