1998 Peugeot 306 GTi-6

Highlights

• 78,196 miles, verified by MOT and service records
• Phase 2 car, unmodified and in factory spec
• MOT to August 2025
• Comprehensively restored in 2023
• Just three owners from new, two from the same family

Overview

At their inception, Peugeot manufactured all sorts of things, from  munitions and bicycles to coffee grinders. Eventually, they settled on their true calling: small, delicately styled hot hatches that went like a cheetah with its tail on fire and cornered with the kind of joie de vivre that the French should probably have an expression for.

In fact, you could barely move in the 80s and 90s without tripping over yet another brilliant slice of Gallic hot-hatchery. Yes, there was the wonderful but oh-so-obvious 205 GTI, but there was also the magnificent 309 GTI, the rather brilliant 106 GTI and the 106 Rallye. But, in our opinion, the best of them all was the 306 GTi-6.

Smooth, understated and timeless design was twinned with a punchy 2-litre 16-valve powerplant and a snappy six-speed manual transmission. This last item was a real head-turner as previously six-speed boxes had been the preserve of exotic and luxury cars. To drop one into a mid-price hot-hatch was a coup to say the least.

Sadly, like so many heroes of the 90s, they’re getting awfully thin on the ground these days – especially if you want one that hasn’t been fudged around with by some oik that believes wheels should have 38 degrees of negative camber. Therefore we’re chuffed, nay delighted, to announce that this is the perfect car for anyone who loves well cared for, original and unmodified machinery.

Carefully preserved by a single family from new, before the current owner took it on and restored it to its former glory, it’s now presented for sale in superbly original condition, having benefitted from a seriously comprehensive recommissioning and mild restoration. If you’re looking to relive, or experience for the first time, the glory days of the naturally-aspirated hot-hatch, then step this way. We don’t think there’s a better way to do it…

History and documentation

• Registered 1st March 1998
• Three owners in total, the first two of which are from the same family
• Current owner since October 2018
• 78,196 miles, verified by the MOT and service records
• MOT to 11th August 2025
• Owned and restored by a marque enthusiast, who has gone to great lengths to preserve the car’s originality
• Unmodified and presented in factory specification, along with a raft of original parts that have been replaced with new OE examples
• Two keys- working central locking, but the button on the remote has gone a little brittle
• OE locking wheel nut key
• Dry stored in a garage for the majority of its life
• Service record for the last 10 years, MOT history back to 2003
• Numerous servicing and MOT invoices from a main Peugeot dealership
• HPI clear (checked August 2024)

Interior

• Half black leather upholstery with dark grey Alcantara seat centre inserts
• The seats are in excellent condition, with the rear seats in particular looking almost new and unused - we saw no evidence of sagging, tears or any significant wear
• Black carpeting runs through the cabin and boot space and appears to be in excellent condition, complemented with carpet overmats to the rear and black rubber overmats to the front
• We noted some slight sagging to the Alcantara on the door cards (a common issue with these) and a small tear around the driver side door handle
• The original Clarion radio/cassette system is present but is currently not working – the vendor is attempting to fix the unit before sale
• In the boot there is a 10-disc Sony CD changer fitted
• Electric windows and door mirrors
• Factory fitted electrically operated sunroof
• We’re informed that the A/C may require some attention – it runs but does not blow fully cold
• The grey headlining is in very good order, with no evidence of sagging, staining or damage that we could discern
• All of the switchgear and instrumentation presents well, with minimal wear for the car’s age, and no reported faults or issues
• At the rear, the boot space is generous, the floor looks very clean and solid and the parcel shelf is intact and shows no signs of damage or warping

Exterior

• We adore the looks of the 306 GTI, the smoothly styled galvanised steel monocoque is the last word in understated cool
• All of the body panels look to be in very good order, with no hint of damage or corrosion that we could see, as well as clean lines and consistent panel gaps
• Finished in original gloss black, the car was fully professionally resprayed in 2023 due to lacquer peel (the vendor tells us that pictures of the car before are available)
• Overall, the paint is in very good order, with no significant issues we could see, and a nice, deep shine
• There is a slight scratch to the lower lip of the front bumper, but otherwise the paintwork is eminently presentable
• The original headlights and glass elements are still fitted, and displaying their period security etching
• The rear light clusters have been replaced due to fading (original included and unbroken), and new OE front fog lights have been fitted
• New period correct side door ‘6’ emblems have been fitted, and new examples of the other badging (Peugeot lettering, 306 GTI-6 badge etc.) have been acquired and can be fitted by the vendor if required
• We’re told that the ‘Cyclone’ 15-inch alloy wheels have been refurbished at some point, and they certainly show well, with no evidence of kerb damage or serious lacquer peel, just a little paint crazing in places
• The wheels are shod with a matched, nearly new set of Michelin Pilot Sport 3 tyres that look to be in excellent fettle, with good tread levels

Mechanical

• Naturally aspirated 1,998cc 16-valve four-cylinder engine
• Six-speed manual transmission
• Front wheel drive
• Rated from the factory at 167bhp, with a kerb weight of just 1214Kg and a 135mph top speed
• A new radiator was fitted by the main dealer in March 2019
• Since 2023 a significant amount of mechanical restoration has been done, including: refurbished rear beam, new rear calipers, new rear Brembo discs with Mintex pads, refurbished front cross member, new front OE springs, new OE bottom arms, new head gasket, head refurbishment, new cambelt and tensioners, new water pump, new ancillary belts, full main service with all fluids, new fuel injector seal kit fitted, new high-quality battery
• The engine bay is clean and tidy, with no signs of problems and no modifications we could see
• We’re assured by the vendor that the car drives just as it should, with no rattles, knocks, temperature issues or other mechanical issues they are aware of
• The car starts and idles smoothly, pulling well, stopping and steering as it should

Summary

Few manufacturers know how to make a great hot-hatch quite as well as Peugeot, and the 306 GTI-6 may well be their finest work. Agile, punchy, engaging and deeply satisfying, we can’t think of many vehicles that tick as many boxes and offer as much bang for your buck as this retro classic.

Presented in excellent overall condition, unmodified and with lots of recent maintenance carried out, we think this is a rare opportunity to obtain what we believe should be an appreciating classic. But more than that, it’s one of the coolest cars to come out of the 90s and the perfect way to experience the joys of the quintessential hot-hatch period.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located near Builth Wells in mid-Wales.