Nice vid! I've owned the 140hp and 180hp versions. It's always better to use all available rpm (all the way to redline) if looking for acceleration/max performance, especially in this configuration. It's true for v8s and modern turbos as well, even though you may get a torque dropoff, the gearing still makes it more advantageous. It's true even for diesels that have very narrow torque bands at low rpm. Though it will waste fuel, possibly overstress components in some cases, and may even be pointless if say, you're just going to need to downshift a moment later and need the lower gear for a corner. The ew10j4 and ew10j4s are engines that need to be pushed. Especially the ew10j4s, where half of the advantage is in the extra 1000rpm redline and the variable intake timing. They do sound raw and rough when you push them though, but it's all part of the full on old school NA setup. It was everything they could do to stay relevant as hot hatches became turbo dependant. That's why this, the 180, and cars like the Clio Sport were really the last in the line of true hot hatches. From here onwards they all either had started using turbos (like in the Golf GTI) or were just about to (207 GTi with the ubiquitous 1.6 turbo Prince engines found in heaps of cars, like BMW/Mini today). The thing is that for a 1000kg-ish FWD car, you cant really give them much more than 180hp without driving them becoming tricky. At that point you have to really start relying on traction control or lots of experience, even with 7inch wide wheels and soft rubber. So even these turbo hot hatches now have only about the same power to weight, and use a lot of tech to keep them stable. This 206 GTi is basically the very last tech-free hot hatch. The GTI180 has traction control and a lengthened 1st gear to compensate. So it really was the final days. The only way to then keep upping track times and performance became creating these all-wheel-drive versions, like the Golf R, which then puts them into weight/performance categories like WRXs' and AUDIs'. But the thing is, on B roads/windy tracks, they dont have much (if any) advantage, as they are that little bit heavier. They only really can out corner a simple hot hatch if they fully rely on their all-wheel-drive and have a very good driver... and if the computer will let them :P I find it to be a lot like motorbikes: Sure one has a lot more power, but can they actually use it? In reality simple machines often take the cake.
Thanks for the comment mate! Very true, the 206 gti’s are just man and machine nothing fancy just pure old school rawness!! 👌🏽 I agree with you on the modern all wheel drive cars- they are quick indeed but lack engagement when hitting B roads.
Underrated cars I had the regular gti moving onto the 180 going back. The 180 was the better car, amazing seats, slightly faster (better top end) but not as much as you’d think. Good review 👍
Thanks for the comment mate! 100% they are so underrated, a really fun car to drive. Yeah I’ve heard the 180 is overall the better car, they are out and out drivers cars 👌🏽I believe the 180 had cosmetic upgrades too, seen some really clean examples.
i have this car at the moment got 250k km on it. engine is great but car cant handle beating that much. many rev matching and fast gear changes and now my clutch is slipping
I only ever drove the 206 GTi 180 but I would think they had quite a few similarities. The only car I have ever ordered new and then cancelled was a 206 GTi 180, I tried to love it but my head eventually got the better of me, it just wasn't that good. It wasn't the handling, that was ok, but the full package (just not as good as the 306 GTi-6 or the 309 GTi, which were both far better cars). There were to many flaws that left you feeling cold and disconnected, the gearing was far too long in 2nd and it really felt like the engine needed a 6 speed box to get the best out of it. I found the pedal position to be too far over to the right which with a compromised driving position made it feel awkward to say the least. I wanted to love the GTI 180 but couldn't, and the 138 shared most of these flaws, which was a shame, but it put me off Peugeot's for 10 years (the models produced in that time, 206, 207, 307 etc, not previous models), and wasn't till 2013 ish that I went back to them (and still own the car I purchased in 2014 😁).
@Tony B Thanks for the comment 👊🏾. Yeah 306 gti’s were great cars - the 205 the predecessor seemed to handle a lot better than the 206 gti too. I agree with you on the gearbox the throws for me were too long, you need a short shifter I feel to get the best out of the engine to keep it in the powerband. Yeah I would’ve loved to try the 180 - Nice one, the newer gen’s of Peugeot seem to be a lot better now 👌🏽
Nice vid! I've owned the 140hp and 180hp versions.
It's always better to use all available rpm (all the way to redline) if looking for acceleration/max performance, especially in this configuration. It's true for v8s and modern turbos as well, even though you may get a torque dropoff, the gearing still makes it more advantageous. It's true even for diesels that have very narrow torque bands at low rpm. Though it will waste fuel, possibly overstress components in some cases, and may even be pointless if say, you're just going to need to downshift a moment later and need the lower gear for a corner.
The ew10j4 and ew10j4s are engines that need to be pushed. Especially the ew10j4s, where half of the advantage is in the extra 1000rpm redline and the variable intake timing.
They do sound raw and rough when you push them though, but it's all part of the full on old school NA setup. It was everything they could do to stay relevant as hot hatches became turbo dependant. That's why this, the 180, and cars like the Clio Sport were really the last in the line of true hot hatches.
From here onwards they all either had started using turbos (like in the Golf GTI) or were just about to (207 GTi with the ubiquitous 1.6 turbo Prince engines found in heaps of cars, like BMW/Mini today).
The thing is that for a 1000kg-ish FWD car, you cant really give them much more than 180hp without driving them becoming tricky. At that point you have to really start relying on traction control or lots of experience, even with 7inch wide wheels and soft rubber. So even these turbo hot hatches now have only about the same power to weight, and use a lot of tech to keep them stable.
This 206 GTi is basically the very last tech-free hot hatch. The GTI180 has traction control and a lengthened 1st gear to compensate. So it really was the final days.
The only way to then keep upping track times and performance became creating these all-wheel-drive versions, like the Golf R, which then puts them into weight/performance categories like WRXs' and AUDIs'. But the thing is, on B roads/windy tracks, they dont have much (if any) advantage, as they are that little bit heavier. They only really can out corner a simple hot hatch if they fully rely on their all-wheel-drive and have a very good driver... and if the computer will let them :P
I find it to be a lot like motorbikes: Sure one has a lot more power, but can they actually use it? In reality simple machines often take the cake.
Thanks for the comment mate! Very true, the 206 gti’s are just man and machine nothing fancy just pure old school rawness!! 👌🏽 I agree with you on the modern all wheel drive cars- they are quick indeed but lack engagement when hitting B roads.
Just bought my second one, very underrated cars
Future classic
Gonna be importing one into the US in 2024 when they’re federally legal 🤙🏻 wanted one of these since i was a kid and they dont exist over here
@Zelda Menefee - They are fun wee cars mate, getting an import would be class, hopefully by then prices will be decent too 🔥
Underrated cars I had the regular gti moving onto the 180 going back. The 180 was the better car, amazing seats, slightly faster (better top end) but not as much as you’d think. Good review 👍
Thanks for the comment mate! 100% they are so underrated, a really fun car to drive. Yeah I’ve heard the 180 is overall the better car, they are out and out drivers cars 👌🏽I believe the 180 had cosmetic upgrades too, seen some really clean examples.
Great job man! It is possible for next drive videos to fix a camera on the pedalbox to film your footwork please? :)
Thanks 🙏🏽 Pedal box camera would be pretty cool I’ll look into it!
@@racinggeeks9495 Thank you man! ;)
I love mine. Had it for nine year's now.
Great cars 👌🏽🔥
Love the 206 gti
Great cars they are 👌🏽
I own 1 206 gti 2002 1 owner low mile car about 4000 miles only.
@@anivarhain wow that’s really low miles, is it the 180bhp or 140 model you have ?
@@racinggeeks9495 140
Cool
i have this car at the moment got 250k km on it. engine is great but car cant handle beating that much. many rev matching and fast gear changes and now my clutch is slipping
Wow, 250k km is a lot! Yeah once they start reaching the higher Km’s/mileage they end up needing a lot of tlc.
Indicators horn key fob has stopped working any suggestions
It could be a fuse that’s gone, although probably best to get a diagnostics ran if you can to see what the fault is mate.
You should try the 180BHP version
I only ever drove the 206 GTi 180 but I would think they had quite a few similarities.
The only car I have ever ordered new and then cancelled was a 206 GTi 180, I tried to love it but my head eventually got the better of me, it just wasn't that good.
It wasn't the handling, that was ok, but the full package (just not as good as the 306 GTi-6 or the 309 GTi, which were both far better cars).
There were to many flaws that left you feeling cold and disconnected, the gearing was far too long in 2nd and it really felt like the engine needed a 6 speed box to get the best out of it.
I found the pedal position to be too far over to the right which with a compromised driving position made it feel awkward to say the least.
I wanted to love the GTI 180 but couldn't, and the 138 shared most of these flaws, which was a shame, but it put me off Peugeot's for 10 years (the models produced in that time, 206, 207, 307 etc, not previous models), and wasn't till 2013 ish that I went back to them (and still own the car I purchased in 2014 😁).
@Tony B Thanks for the comment 👊🏾. Yeah 306 gti’s were great cars - the 205 the predecessor seemed to handle a lot better than the 206 gti too.
I agree with you on the gearbox the throws for me were too long, you need a short shifter I feel to get the best out of the engine to keep it in the powerband. Yeah I would’ve loved to try the 180 - Nice one, the newer gen’s of Peugeot seem to be a lot better now 👌🏽