1996 PEUGEOT 306 GTi-6 2.0L 6MT FWD (163 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The French compact-class vehicle was one of the best-sellers in Europe and for a good reason. In its entire lifespan between 1993 and 2002 it was sold in nearly 3 million units. In 1997, the car went through a major facelift, which affected the design, engines, and interior.

The 306 GTI-6 was the top of the line trim and featured bucket seats, white dials for the tachometer and speedometer, a sporty steering-wheel and an enhanced suspension. Also, it had more safety features than other versions of the 306.

The base platform was kept the same, but the bumpers, headlights, and taillights were changed. One of the most noticeable changes was the introduction of the turn-signal indicators inside the headlights, instead of the outside location onto a different lamp. Light-alloy wheels were offered as standard on the higher trim levels and more powerful engines, like on the 306 Gti-6 version. It was the sportiest version of them all, and it was considered the true replacement for the older Peugeot 205 GTI, a rally-legend in its era.

The power came from a 2.0-liter naturally aspirated engine with four cylinders. The introduction of a twin-cam with 16 valves (DOHC system) led to 164 hp, which was a lot for that era. The 306 GTI-6 was the base model for the rally version 306-Maxi for the F2 category, which paved the way for the World Rally Championship title.