Under its familiar bonnet, the new 306 GTi-6 gets an even hotter version of Peugeot’s proven 16-valve 2.0-litre powerplant. It gets lighter internals, a new alloy cylinder head, harmonically optimised inlet and exhaust plumbing, along with Magneti Marelli’s latest sequential ignition and twin-jet fuel-injection system. Power is up at 167bhp at 6500rpm and peak torque has increased by 10 per cent to 145lb ft – albeit 2000rpm higher at 5500rpm. To exploit this high-revving grunt, Peugeot’s motorsport division has developed a six-speed gearbox – a first in the hot hatch class. For maximum fuel efficiency, top gear is significantly taller than in the five-speed S16, but the performance-biased lower ratios are now much closer. Front struts and rear torsion-beam suspension is retained from the outgoing 306 S16.
