Peugeot 206

Definitely showing its age when put alongside the rest of the Peugeot range of hatches and sedans – mainly because it doesn’t have the new-style shark nose – the 206 still has a tremendous following, not least because of its character and performance. Peugeot has already unveiled the new 207 which will replace the 206, but the company is yet to introduce the same into the Middle East market. As for 2007, they are continuing with the old 206 model.

The 206 brought in the new ‘feline’ design philosophy into the range when it was launched back in 1998. The swept back teardrop shaped headlights and pronounced ‘smile’, created by the large air scoop under the front bumper made the car an instant hit among the younger lot. The overall design has changed little since its launch, although new derivatives have been added: the 206 Coupe-Cabriolet in 2001 and the SW in 2002.

The design of the 206 has evolved only subtly over the years with minor tweaks here and there. Overall the car has remained true to its concept with most changes having taken place in the level of standard equipment, due largely to the introduction of multiplexing. This heralded the possibility of adding more electronic functions to the car, and has seen the inclusion of features previously only found on more expensive cars. Inside, the ambience is of a sporting nature with a 3-spoke leather steering wheel, an aluminium gear lever knob, and an instrument panel featuring five chrome-ringed dials, sport seats with a multi-part trim composed of three different materials (cloth, leather, and alcantara) – full leather trim being available as an option.

There are three different petrol engines in the range – 1.4-litre 8-valve, 1.6-litre 16-valve and the 2.0-litre with two different outputs. All models are available with a five-speed manual gearbox or an optional 4-speed “Tiptronic” automatic gearbox. The 1.4-litre is rated at 75 bhp, the 1.6-litre at 110 bhp and the 2.0-litre with 138 bhp and 180 bhp on the RC180 version.

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