Maximum driving thrills at an affordable price, that’s the Peugeot 106 Rallye in a nutshell. Go-kart handling at its finest. As a matter of fact, the 106 Rallye wasn’t much bigger or heavier than a go-kart either.
Almost 2.8 million Peugeot 106 hatchbacks were built from 1991 to 2003. It was offered with 3 or 5 doors, throughout its production run it was powered by a whole range of 4-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines. In 1995 even an electric version was added.
The Peugeot 106 Rallye was introduced near the end of 1993. It had a 1.3 liter 8v engine with a maximum power output of 100 hp @ 7,200 rpm. Acceleration from 0-100 km/h and top speed? Both utterly irrelevant.
Fearlessly attacking secondary roads, eating up bends and corners, that was its raison d’être (what an appropriate expression now). It just didn’t feel very comfy on the highway, to put it mildly: 4,500 rpm at a speed of 120 km/h in highest gear. That’s not rolling down the highway, that’s loudmouthing down the highway.
One of the outstanding features of the Rallye was…well, that it was completely stripped to the bone; which resulted in a curb weight of only 810 kg (1,786 lbs). The transmission is a 5-speed manual.
The second generation (Phase 2) of the Peugeot 106 arrived in 1996. The Rallye got a bigger 1.6 liter 8v engine, resulting in a maximum power output of 103 hp @ 6,200 rpm.
According to the spec sheet on this fine example its engine is tuned to 124 hp @ 5,800 rpm.
Na aanpassingen means after modifications.
The factory, all-white steelies.
Building excellent small and compact hot hatches, for decades at a stretch both Renault and Peugeot have been really good at it. Allez les Bleus!
Seemed that everyone was making nice hatchbacks in the 80s. Somehow, hatches gained a downscale image in the US and they were largely abandoned in favor of much less useful sedans.
Now, I see that Europe has caught the SUV disease, with SUVs claiming 34% of the European market in January.
Cute pocket-rocket. But a stripped-out 106 Rallye probably lost what little sound insulation was there before. Screaming along the highway at 4,500 rpm had to be very unpleasant after a little while.
4500 rpm at 75 mph?? Ugh. These things need a twin stick transmission like the first Dodge/Mitsubishi Colt had. At least this car will be able to redline in every gear…which is probably the point for gearing it so low.
These do what my Xsara does so well, top speed is irrelevant but at whatever speed you are doing it will steer, you can throw them into a very tight corner at speeds that will frighten the driver but the car will still turn accurately, my one will turn so hard at speed the driver has to hang on, passengers end up against the doors wondering what happened, I must admit I prefer the better insulated larger model, you cant really tell its a diesel from the inside, its not stripped out, and is very comfortable to ride in and drive, not as comfortable and quiet as its hydra-active suspended replacement but better than pretty much anything else its size.
Like Porsche’s Club Sport models in the eighties, this one was a special edition stripped out for would-be racing drivers, and I think it was successful in that arena. 106s and their Citroen Saxo siblings were also regular “boy racer” custom cars in the “Max Power” era in the 1990s.
What a cool, little car. I like the contrast in the interior shot of the spartan dashboard / controls / accessories and the bright red carpet. Those painted steel wheels are also excellent. If this car is a “little lion”, does that make it a cub? I had other fish to fry yesterday, so I didn’t get to check out everything I wanted to on CC, but great post.
I have the white one.
Bought mine a shabby condition for €500,it was used in the city new brakes, discs a new radiator, tyres it is all so cheap and they are easy to work on.
These are worth a lot of money today, especially the phase 1 cars are wanted.
This is the last of the mohicans, in the line of little hot hatches that began with the A112 Abarth.
And they are fun to drive and good engine, good gearbox not very rust sensitive and absolutely no luxury, not even tinted windows.
The steel wheels are made by Michelin.
I have a different perspective on revs than most, my Imp would be at 5000 rpm at 75 mph – it’s fine, it is designed for that and at least in the Imp the noise is behind you. I remember one of the magazines being told off by Hillman for revving the engine over 7500 on a road test; their response was “well if had a rev counter…”
It is a little surprising that so much tuning has been done to the car (adding 20hp) but the owner hasn’t fitted lighter alloy wheels. 106’s never came to Australia, the only ‘featherweight’ hot hatch we got was the Citroen AX GT, but they do look like fun, the spiritual successor to the 205 GTi.
The 106 Rallye and the white steelies were totally made for each other…
Because life is always better with some sound…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyH2hPonMNQ
Il signore has plenty more videos…