Wednesday 8th May 2019

Bridge to Gantry in a 306 GTI-6: Time for Coffee?

Bored of hypercar laps where the Nordschleife is made to look like a Scalextric track? Watch this!

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Need a pick me up on a dreary Wednesday morning? This should do it. Yes, it's a Nurburgring lap video, but likely a rather different one to usual. There's no supercar and racing driver combo here, rather a 19-year-old 306 GTI-6 stripped of its interior and a lad in Vans driving it like he's Gilles Panizzi- marvellous.

The Peugeot isn't quite standard - fettled here and there with some suspension and brake tweaks - but it is about as far away from track day supercar posturing as it's possible to imagine. Basic, old and without frills, it must have cost all-in what a carbon fibre exterior pack will set you back on a 600LT. But it is quick, and it looks sublime fun.

While a Renaultsport Clio has become the go-to cheap track hatch of recent years, it's easy to forget what a gem the 306 was - as proven in this video. Spoiler alert: it's not the tidiest lap you'll ever see, though it is one of the more entertaining, the 306's famed balance and adjustability exploited to full effect. So yes, sometimes there is some silly oversteer, but also some lovely moments seeing the car manipulated subtly and effectively into a turn as well as anything. It always was a fine chassis, and even more so with a few upgrades.

With a great car, legendary track and some very handy driving, we can't think of anything better to accompany a morning brew. And if the video reignites a long-lost lust for a 306, then we've just the thing - this blue GTI-6 has a few track-suited modifications, and it's only £2,000. They won't get any cheaper...

 

[Images: Camber and Combustion, via Facebook]

 

[Kawasicki]

nice driving.

[Kawasicki]

RacerMike said:

WCZ said:

goes to show how much difference expensive kw suspension makes coupled with a good driver

1 second faster than the sport auto times of BMW M135i and the Porsche Boxster S 987

wondering what a 182 trophy could do it in now!

Not sure it is is it? Aren't those times a full lap? This is BTG, and the a 135i should do about an 8:05 BTG... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfbvmahnIS8

Great time for a car with 170hp though. Think it could quite happily live with some more rear toe out as it's pretty 'safe' on turn in, but of course that's the difference between a road car and track car.

Sport Auto laps are full laps. Welcome to reality.

[Kawasicki]

drjdog said:

A much more forgiving chassis than a BM or a Boxster - he made a few mistakes there that would have spun a RWD car. I'd like to see a lap in a Boxster with this much committment, though.

nope.

[Kawasicki]

AmosMoses said:

Saw this video through their youtube channel, entertaining but as per their other videos they do over drive massively. Its fun to watch and no doubt fun to drive like tha but they could go a lot faster.

He doesn’t overdrive massively. He sometimes overcooks it, but mainly on parts of the corner where not much time is wasted. I think he does a pretty good job of using the whole width of the track in a brave, calm, fast flowing manner.