Monday 5th September 2022

Peugeot 106 GTI | Spotted

Thought 106 Rallyes were expensive? Wait 'til you see where GTIs are at...

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We’ve become accustomed to some of Peugeot’s greatest hits commanding serious money now. The 205 GTI has been out of reach for most of French hot hatch lovers for yonks, and even the lesser-loved models such as the 205 XS are now starting to creep up in value. So if you wanted a slice of a lightweight, front-wheel drive Pug but couldn’t stretch to a 205, then the 106 was your next best bet. Well, it used to be.

Acting as the spiritual successor to the 205 GTI, the 106 GTI absolutely nailed the fun French hot hatch formula. Peugeot managed to shoehorn a rorty 1.6-litre, dual overhead cam 16-valve four-pot under the bonnet, sending 120hp to the front wheels. It was coupled up with a snappy five-speed manual ‘box, giving you the sense you were going a lot faster than you actually were. And with speed cameras now littering most roads in the UK, isn’t that all you really need from a hot hatch today?

Peel back the skin and you’ll find MacPherson struts for the front suspension, plus anti-roll bars at either end of the vehicle. And just look at the thing. Plastic bumpers aside, the bolt-on wheel arches give it some muscle, while the boot spoiler compliments the boxy rear end perfectly. The wheels? 14-inches, and yet the 106’s tiny footprint means they look nicely out of proportion. But the important bit is this: it only weighed 950kg, not a whole lot more than its 205 predecessor. Of course, that’s mostly down to today’s cars being considerably safer than the 106, but you certainly get the point…

It would also turn out to be one of Peugeot’s last brilliant hot hatches for well over a decade. The 206 GTI wasn't fit to clean the Renaultsport Clio 172's back bumper, and while they make an extremely cheap buy on the used market, there's a good reason for that. The same can be said for the 207 GTI, which again was left wanting on the performance side. Yes, the 208 GTI was a return to form and is still considered a brilliant and (relatively) cheap hot hatch, but the days of sub-1,000kg GTIs are long gone and, therefore, values are rising ever higher.

It wasn’t that long ago when the 106 GTI was dirt cheap. In fact, a completely stock (albeit very leggy) version made Shed of the Week back in 2014, while tidy examples could be found for a few grand. Now, though, you can expect to pay five figures for one, although at least you get a very clean example in the process. This GTI has only covered 42,000 miles over the past 24 years, and boasts a full service history as well as a folder brimming with receipts. Doesn’t look half bad in metallic red, either.

Does that make the £10,995 asking price a little more bearable? Probably not, but bear in mind that you’ll still fork out even more for a clean Rallye version. That, and it’s the fact that it’s the last of its kind. A properly quick and nimble hot hatch the likes of which we’ll never see again. Happy Monday, everyone.

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SPECIFICATION | PEUGEOT 106 GTI

Engine: 1,587cc four-cylinder
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 120@6,600rpm
Torque (lb ft): 107@5,200
MPG: 33
CO2: 201g/km
Year registered: 1998
Recorded mileage: 42,000
Price new: £12,835
Yours for: £10,995

See the original advert here

[Slowlygettingit]

Late nineties and in our first house we had a 205 gti and next door had the 106 gti. That was great ice breaker and we went to be great mates for years.
His car was infinitely more reliable than mine though and just as much fun.
Not a bad price - considering the drum roll at the start of the article.
I’d still rather try and dig out a 205 but guessing to be this clean it’d be significantly more.

[andySC]

I was toing & froing between a 106gti & a Saxo VTS as a young hot hatchling in 1997. Tried both, really liked both as they were pretty much identical. The Saxo was a bit cheaper iirc & a work pal had an order in for a 106 so the Saxo it was. At the time I’d convinced myself the Citroen was the better looking of the pair but the Peugeot looks great.

[Koolkat969]

That's a good find and not a bad price for someone that really wants one.

Competing with mint RS Clios at that price but haven't driven one so not sure how it will compare in the drive dept.

Very lightweight though and with 120hp, it should be good fun!

[Jon_S_Rally]

I think it's a bit strong to say you can "expect" to pay five figures for one. There are still plenty out there for less, even if values have gone up significantly. I always thought the 14" wheels looked crap on these too. With some motorsport-esque 15" wheels they look excellent.

Also being a bit harsh on the 206 GTI too. My friend had one as a track day car and it was a lot of fun. Was about a third of the price of the Clio I had at the time too.

[Bobupndown]

Is there a nicer colour on any car than Diablo red?

[Flanners]

Yes Moroccan Red

[fantheman80]

andySC said:

I was toing & froing between a 106gti & a Saxo VTS as a young hot hatchling in 1997. Tried both, really liked both as they were pretty much identical. The Saxo was a bit cheaper iirc & a work pal had an order in for a 106 so the Saxo it was. At the time I’d convinced myself the Citroen was the better looking of the pair but the Peugeot looks great.

i did the same in 2000. What clinched the saxo for me was that it was 7.7 (or something like that) to 60 mph whereas the identical 106 was 8 something...That stuff mattered!

[Wheel Turned Out]

Never really appreciated it when they were everywhere, as is always the way I suppose, but now I'm coming to realise just what a good looking little car the 106 was.

[p4cks]

the article said:

It wasn’t that long ago when the 106 GTI was dirt cheap. In fact, a completely stock...

We say 'standard' over here.

[Iamnotkloot]

Bobupndown said:

Is there a nicer colour on any car than Diablo red?

Yes.



Oh OK then - riviera blue, as found on Porsches

[Cambs_Stuart]

Jon_S_Rally said:

I think it's a bit strong to say you can "expect" to pay five figures for one. There are still plenty out there for less, even if values have gone up significantly. I always thought the 14" wheels looked crap on these too. With some motorsport-esque 15" wheels they look excellent.

Also being a bit harsh on the 206 GTI too. My friend had one as a track day car and it was a lot of fun. Was about a third of the price of the Clio I had at the time too.

Interesting how the values have changed. £10k gets you into Clio trophy territory as well as your pick of the Mk2 or Mk3.

[PSB1967]

This one is near identical for £3.5k less, leaving £3.5K for fettling.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155137493293?hash=item2...

[Loplop]

It's funny how overwhelming positivity can sour the reputation of peers.

I've got some old issues of EVO lying around, one has a test on the standard 140bhp ish 206 GTi and the other has the 180.

The GTi 140 went up against the Satria GTi, Punto HGT Abarth, and Puma 1.7, coming out on top as the best overall out of the bunch, with highlights including the engine and ride.

The GTi 180 went head to head with a Clio 172, and whilst the test - almost inevitably - went in favour of the Clio, the GTi got a lot of positive comments in regards to it's engine, handling, seats and ride, with the jist being it would've been the hot hatch to buy at the time if it wasn't for the Clio existing.

I've not driven either, so I can't really comment, but they're available for buttons. In period they reviewed well even with the consideration of the hero status 106 and 306 GTi being so fresh in hacks memories, and the RS Clio becoming the poster child of the genre.

Is a 106 GTi really worth £6-8k more?..

[sledge68]

I got leant one of these some years back, what an electrifying, fun, great handling little car.

Its making me smile now the thought of that drive.

At the time in the family we had a 1.9 205 gti, a 1.9 309 gti, 405 MI16 and Volcane 2.0.

All great cars. wish we had kept them.

[66HFM]

I had an R reg 106 GTi, which I picked up when it was 9 months old and with 27k on the clock - the original owner had used it for a daily commute up the M4 from Wiltshire into London every day.

A great little car in a great colour - not too sure what the colour was called but it was a solid blue, only negative was that it didn't have a sunroof, which was quite a common feature, I kept it for 2 years and only sold it to buy an MGF, which due to a change of circumstances (job) I only kept 3 months as I was going to be doing a 600 miles weekly commute.

The MGF was changed for a 206 GTi, which although as not much fun as the 106 was more of its older / more grown up brother, again kept for a couple of years.

Of the two I preferred the 106 GTi as a bit more fun, even managed to squeeze 5 of us in it for an England football game over in Holland in Euro 2000.

Great Days!

[TheMilkyBarKid]

It’s a nice one, but I went for a 306 back in 1998 and my 90’s hot hatch money would still be going here instead:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208299...

And I’d have enough left over for the odd replacement part, or a good holiday.

[anonymous-user]

PSB1967 said:

This one is near identical for £3.5k less, leaving £3.5K for fettling.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155137493293?hash=item2...

This one has been resprayed and messed about with, plus I prefer the interior on the Spotted one, it screams 90s. If the Spotted one is all original, I would much rather pay a premium for it.

But why was the car first first registered on 01 Jan 1998, but first registered with the DVLA on Feb 2015?

[Krikkit]

PSB1967 said:

This one is near identical for £3.5k less, leaving £3.5K for fettling.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/155137493293?hash=item2...

Depends if you want one completely original with original paint etc. This one has a few mods (lowered rear beam, exhaust manifold etc) and a respray.

[Snaaakeey]

I had this exact car ( except mine had the leather swayed interior). It had a very special place in my heart. I had a Clio 172 and 182 which where defiantly better but this was my 1st hot hatch. I will never forget visiting a friend at uni. He was living just on the other side of the Clifton suspension bridge. I turned up and his flat mates wanted a ride. This was my 1st experience with lift of oversteer. Everyone involved needed a change of underpants after we had sailed around a side road t junction sideways near his place. Of course I pretended to have done it on purposes. I can still hear the slightly hysterical laughter coming from the back seats. Learned a lot about weight transfer in that car. After a while I was throwing it about like that at whim. As I moved into an Elise and later more powerful rear drive cars I never truly felt so at one with them as I did with these confidence inspiring hot hatches.

All hail the Hot Hatch.

[Shappers24]

When I was at secondary school I remember one of the cool 6th formers had a 106gti. Always thought it looked smart. They’ve aged well, although not sure how well they’d drive now. Price seems steep but that’s the way of things.