Monday 25th March

Peugeot 306 GTI-6 | Cars under the hammer

We've chosen a '90s hot hatch legend and all-time PH favourite for our first-ever auction car video. Enjoy

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As you’ve no doubt noticed, our auction platform is growing at a rate of knots. So much so that it is giving us plenty more to talk about. Whether it's British icons like this Aston Martin V8 Vantage or JDM specials such as this DC5 Honda Integra Type R (the rarer facelift, too), there's always something likely to tempt the hard-earned cash from your pocket. This means there are lots of stories to tell. And what better way to do that than with a video camera and some pointing? 

Hard to think of a better way to kick off than with a PH favourite: the Peugeot 306 GTI-6. Not only is it one of the all-time great '90s hot hatches, but it’s arguably the French carmaker’s last truly world-beating performance car. Peugeot all but gave up on fun cars throughout the '00s, with the 206 GTI being about as hot as leftover pizza, and although the 208 and 308 GTIs were a very welcome return to form, they were hardly unmissable staples of their era - not like 306 GTI-6 was.

So what is it that made the GTI-6 so special? True, the addition of a sixth cog squeezed into a closer-ratio gearbox was a big deal back in the late '90s, especially in a hatchback, although that’s only a small part of what made the car memorable. Upgrades to the exhaust manifold, intake and pistons saw power from its naturally aspirated, 2.0-litre four-pot rise to 170hp (up from 157hp on the S16), while revisions were said to have been made to the suspension setup and the brakes beefed up.

Then there’s the car we have here, which is a little bit different from the rest. The seller Jack, who you may know as Number 27 on YouTube, bought the 2000 example just over a year ago and, although part of its appeal was that it didn’t need much doing to it, he couldn’t resist making a handful of improvements to make this 306 GTI-6 the best it can be. That includes a respray to return its deep blue paintwork to its original lustre and an audio upgrade that keeps the stock speaker housing to retain the OEM look (a stainless steel exhaust had already been fitted by a previous owner). 

And boy, does it sound good. No booming on throttle, no artificial pops and bangs on the overrun; just the sweet sound of a high-revving four-pot that’s been ever so slightly dialled up. It’s responsive, too. The claimed 0-62mph time of just under eight seconds doesn’t sound especially quick, but it's the way the revs pick up the moment you brush the accelerator that stands out in 2024. As does the wonderfully weighted steering, which never stops seeming like an oily tonic when measured against current hot hatches. 

Best of all, there's the sensation in the GTI-6 that you're getting everything it's got from the moment you turn the key. There's no nagging feeling that its potential remains untapped as there would be if it had a zillion horsepower and nine gears. It's still brilliantly suited to British roads and the speed limits that govern them. Moreover, despite its glowing reputation, GTI-6 values haven’t quite skyrocketed as they have for the mechanically identical 306 Rallye. This 75,435-mile car is guided between £6,500 and £7,500, which, as you'd expect, is about on par for a car of this age and mileage. Factor in the chunky history file, very tasteful upgrades and the nailed-on certainty that Peugeot isn't going to repeat the trick, and it starts to look like one for the ages. Which it is. 

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See the full listing here

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I watched the video earlier on and am familiar with this particular car having following Jack's exploits in Number 27. I think Jayemm also reviewed it. Doesn't lesson the longing I have to own a car which I really should've bought in 1999 (the Rallye version I test drove, ex demo car which was £12,995 at the time).... Cam makes some good points; Firstly just why does this car still sail under the radar when other modern classic cars are lauded so much? I'll be honest, back in the day I test drove both the 306 Rallye and a Clio 172 (phase one). It was the 306 which left the greatest impression on me. Secondly, with the relentless march of progress and 300 BHP hot hatches which can lap the ring in sub 8 mins, there is something to be said for a machine which was designed primarily to flow down a difficult road and can be wrung out without a) bouncing off the road and b) threatening to put its owner in jail after the throttle is held down for more than 3-4 secs.... Will be interesting to see how much this car makes at auction. Prices vary, but a very nice looking Rallye went for just over £5,000 before Christmas in one of the Car and Classic Auctions and I was kicking myself that I wasn't in a position to buy it!!

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s m said:

I think one journo still found it likely to catch you out when pushed







Neil Hunt from Revs mag exploring the handling limits in the late 90s

I love to see this picture make an appearance on every 306 thread, think it was a D Turbo if i remember correctly, or an XSI. Yeah, I think the 306 was one of those cars where generally it was less tail happy, but if it did get away from you, due to the longer wheelbase you were done!

Lot of comments about 80s cars on here and crash worthiness. Thing is, this is a 90s cars we are discussing which weighed about 300KG more than the 205 GTI. Modern tyres in my experience with a 205 GTI mean it was less likely to lift off oversteer and probably most people WONT be using this every day but as a fun car for the weekends, so personally I don't think the relative flimsiness is a deal breaker. My wife dailied a 205 GTI between 2003 and 2014 and both my kids were ferried around in it and lived to tell the tale as they say. She was generally only pottering around locally and did get hit once (admittedly at low speed) by a van and the car survived fine.

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This article is about the Rallye not the GTI-6 but John Simster was spot on in what he said.