Peugeot 306 GTi6 Information
Photo by Anderoo
The 306 Gti-6 was first introduced in 1996 as a replacement for the then current top-spec 306 s16. The GTi model was powered by a 2.0 litre 16 valve Peugeot XU10J4RS petrol engine capable of 167bhp power and 145lb.ft of torque. The '6 element of the model name relates to the close ratio BE-3/6 6 speed gearbox which propels the 306 Gti to a maximum stated speed of 135mph.
Being a true Peugeot sports model the GTi-6 was only available as a 3-door hatchback. A small number of GTi models were made available in a phase 1 bodyshape however the majority of '6's still on the road today are phase 2 and 3 bodystyles. With the GTi-6 now becoming an affordable second hand car they are currently in very high demand and therefore are often the most expensive type of Peugeot 306 to buy, with exception to the 306 cabriolet.
GTi Fuel Economy
With the large 2 litre engine and 167bhp of power the GTi can be quite thirsty and the official figures on GTi-6 fuel economy would give you an optimistic 20.8 miles per gallon while driving in town. On a run this figure will rise to 39.8 miles per gallon making the combined cycle a respectable 30.0 miles per gallon average.
Despite these figures GTi fuel economy can vary wildly depending on your driving style as a heavy foot will bring those figures down the low 10's which can make you a regular at the petrol station! With rising fuel prices thrashing a GTi around as your daily drive will be costly, you have been warned.
Popular 306 GTi-6 Tuning Modifications
With 167bhp on tap as standard some may argue that tuning a GTi-6 is not necessary, however tuned GTis are getting more common as prices of second hand cars become more affordable. As with all petrol cars the most obvious tuning modifications are to add an induction kit and a free flowing exhaust. These two modifications should take a GTi to around 175bhp with a spend of around £500 for the pair.
Club-306 members can benefit from a 15% discount on free flow stainless steel exhaust sytems from our discount partner Longlife. With branches all over the UK chances are you will have a Longlife centre near you. Having your exhaust custom built allows you to get the performance and sound you want, and custom exhausts often out perform and out last off-the-shelf performance systems as well as guaranteeing a perfect fit.
Long Duration Camshafts
Moving on to more serious modifications the XU10J4RS will gain a healthy boost of horsepower by replacing the original camshaft with a long-duration version. The cam shaft controls how long the valves are open to recieve fuel and by keeping them open for longer more fuel can enter the combustion chamber. You can either buy new cams which are known as blanks, or have your existing cams reprofiled which will cost slightly less.
Adjusting the cams also allows the engine to rev to higher rpms however the downside is that if the open duration is too long the car will struggle to idle well and can feel lumpy when driving around town at low speeds. Depending on the type of cams you go for a XU10J4RS engine can gain 8-12bhp.
Uprated Engine Components
With extreme modifications the 306 GTi-6 has an engine that is capable of up to 400bhp. It is however noted that to gain this much power you must be prepared to upgrade nearly all of the internal components of the engine and advice from an experienced engine tuning company is highly recommended.
Club-306 work in partnership with HiFlow heads who have many years of experience in tuning high performance Peugeot engines including the XU10J4RS as used in the 306 GTi-6. They can provide upgraded components for nearly all internal engine parts including forged pistons, lightened flyweheels, vernier pulleys and much more.
Turbochargers and Superchargers
Some more popular extreme petrol modifications for the GTi-6 include converting the XU10J4RS engine to forced induction. This can be done by either a turbocharger setup which is powered by the exhaust gases leaving the engine to spin up the turbocharger, or by a supercharger which is powered by an auxiliary belt much like the power steering and air conditioning is.
The advantage of using a supercharger setup on a GTi is that the power delivery is much quicker as a supercharger does not suffer from lag while spinning up like the turbo does. With both a turbocharger or supercharger additional benefits can be made by fitting an intercooler or chargecooler to reduce the charge temperature of the compressed air before it enters the engine.
With power modifications that take the engine over 200bhp you may find getting that power on to the road will become a problem. Even as standard the 306 GTi can be a handful on wet roads as the amount of torque going to the front wheels can make them spin up easily. With increased power this will become more of a problem.
306 GTi-6 Tyres
To keep the GTi going forward in this situation it is important to have good quality tyres fitted. The GTi-6 is fitted as standard with 195/55R15 tyres by Pirelli, a tyre chosen specifically by Peugeot for their hot-hatches.
Many GTi-6 owners continue using Pirelli tyres however some other good tyres for high performance cars include the Toyo Proxes and Goodyear Eagle F1. Performance tyres will cost considerably more than budget tyres however they will be much better suited to a high powered car and can last longer as a result. Quality tyres can be picked up at sensible prices at online distributers such as Black Circles.
Club-306 have joined forces with Black Circles online tyre store to offer club members an additional 5% off tyres ordered online. Another online tyre distributer who can sometimes out price Black Circles is TyreSave. By shopping around you can save as much as 60% online compared to national retailers prices.
When you reach 200bhp good tyres might not be enough to prevent the wheels spinning up, so another way to tackle this problem is to fit a traction control system. Some say that any front wheel drive car such as the 306 GTi-6 with over 200bhp will be uncontrollable to drive, however this is not the case so please do not be put off.
Other Modifications
As mentioned previously the Peugeot 306 GTi-6 is becoming a more popular modders car as prices continue to fall. We have not even mentioned a lot of modifications that are possible so for more information you are encouraged to take alook through the Club-306 forum.
There you will find information about projects others have undertaken and if you need help on a particular question all you need to do is ask. You will need a Club-306 membership to view all parts of the forum which costs just £6 a year. As well as the ability to find the information you need you will also be entitled to the full range of Club-306 member discounts.
Peugeot 306 GTi-6 Specifications
Body Style: 3 Door Hatchback
Engine Code: XU10J4RS
Engine Type: 4 Cylinder DOHC Multi-Point Fuel Injection
Fuel: Unleaded Petrol (97RON recommended)
Displacement: 1998cc (2.0 litre)
Power: 167.0 bhp
Torque: 145.0 lb/ft @ 5500 rpm
Transmission: BE3-6 Manual 6-Speed
Maximum Speed: 135 mph
Acceleration (0-60): 8.8 seconds
Tyre Size: 195/55R15
Insurance Group: 15
Urban Fuel Economy: 20.8 mpg
Extra Urban Fuel Economy: 39.8 mpg
Comined Fuel Economy: 30.0 mpg
CO2 Emissions: 224 g/km
Servicing: 24 months/20000 miles
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