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.

[Pothole]

I miss mine. Given what I've spent on cars since, especially the money pit that replaced it, I should just have got it fully sorted...coulda, woulda, shoulda...

[WCZ]

very very good driving

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!

[SS2.]

A couple of hairy moments in that video which had me twitching !

Takes me back, though - not to the track, but to having two GTi-6s in the past

Must resist the temptation to nip over to AutoTrader and see what they're going for these days..

[Chr1sch]

I absolutely loved my old GTI-6 - fantastic chassis for a track car

[Limpet]

Really enjoyed this!

I only had a lowly XSi, but this brought back wonderful memories of the lovely 'tippy-toe' feeling these cars have when you start pressing on, as well as the way they glide over the bumps. Both seem to be a lost art in recent years.

The way you can play with the balance mid corner is wonderful. This guy clearly knows what he's doing, and I never had the skill or balls to get the lairy angles he's showing off here, but a less skilled driver could still exploit the principles to great effect with a bit of familiarity.

Still my absolute favourite FWD chassis of those I've experienced.

[eliotrw]

I had mine up for sale a few weeks ago,

But had very little interest so have not re-listed sadly...

edit: nevermind i have now relisted

Edited by eliotrw on Wednesday 8th May 12:50

[Byker28i]

Oh my, thats committed

[cobra kid]

Brilliant video....stopped me mid-chew of my sarnie here at work!

[Col325]

I am on my 2nd Gti6 the first one was a bit of a rough one with nearly 190k but the engine was sweet and the car handled so beautifully on Bilstein dampers that even my wife commented on how deceptively fast that car was in normal driving. I ended up with another and this ones a real cracker lowered just a little much firmer and handles like it’s on rails. This car is well capable of embarrassing much more powerful and expensive machinery most importantly it’s laugh out loud fun

[C.MW]

possibly the last Peugeot built when they were still on top of their game. A simple and elegant looking hot hatch with a sublime chassis like this one makes me want to travel back in time.

[toasty]

Loved my old GTi-6. Pretty slow compared to today's hot hatches but great fun.

[LostCockney]

Certainly a committed driver ......

[sprintevo]

That video has just doubled the value of 306 GTI's and Rallye's always was an underrated car you should see the video of one racing against the full competition spec BMW E30 M3's at Macau.

[Maldini35]

I enjoyed that- thanks

Took my ARDS in a GTi6 (feel old writing that) and remember loving it at the time.
They still look great too.

[cat with a hat]

RIP my old 306 GTI-6. Thoroughly missed.

[edwheels]

I miss my 106 Rallye (most of all), 205GTI and 106GTI... all driven over many years in the 1990s all from a time when Peugeot made some truly epic machines - like the GTI-6 and 306 Rallye. Truly great to drive - everything else seemed a bit disappointing especially on the right B road. Peugeot - what happened to you since then... I wouldn't even look twice at anything you have made in the last 15 years, yet there was a time when you had this market completely conquered. Almost purchased a 306 Rallye but a job change and company vehicle put a stop to that - I still would like one now 20+ years later

Edited by edwheels on Wednesday 8th May 13:23

[andyalan10]

The left foot braking, the heel and toeing, lovely to watch. And the speed with which he passes several interesting cars.


Thank you.

[RacerMike]

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.

[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.