Tag Archives: 206

For Sale – Peugeot 206 GT #1335

For reasons that with hind sight defy any common sense while Peugeot was phasing out it’s extremely popular 205 in the early 1990’s Peugeot’s marketing department decided to abandon the 205 super mini market segment in the hope that it’s customers would opt either for the smaller 106 or larger 309.

Peugeot 206 GT, South Glouscestershire,

Needless to say the strategy did not have the desired effect on sales and so belatedly the Peugeot 206 model was launched in September 1998, in the UK with a catchy ad featuring a Hindustan Ambassador being crashed into various walls, sat on by an elephant and otherwise modified until it resembled a new 206.

Peugeot 206 GT, South Glouscestershire,

As with the 205 a WRC Rally version of the 206 was built with which Marcus Grönholm became World Rally Champion in 2000 and 2002.

Peugeot 206 GT, South Glouscestershire,

The 300hp all wheel drive 206 WRC car featured slightly different front and rear bumpers to the production 206’s which increased the length of the vehicle from 3.83m to 4m and to get these parts homologated, certified for competition, Peugeot had to build at least 2,500 copies of these parts for their customers.

Peugeot 206 GT, South Glouscestershire,

So in May 1999 Peugeot announced it would build 4,000 limited edition front wheel drive 206 Grand Tourisme models fitted with the longer bumpers, 137hp 2 litre, 16 valve petrol engines, 5 speed gearbox and 9 spoke alloy wheels available only for this model.

Peugeot 206 GT, South Glouscestershire,

Additional extra’s unique to the Grand Touriseme were numbered identification on the door pillars, body coloured wheel arch extensions, leather trimmed sports seats, a three spoke sports steering wheel, aluminium accelerator pedal and a unique metal finish instrument cluster.

Peugeot 206 GT, South Glouscestershire,

Acceleration times were quoted as 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds with a top speed of 129mph, at the time of writing only 114 of the 588 registered on the road in Britain remain on the road with another 87 being registered SORN, stored off road, with the authorities.

Today’s featured example #1335 first registered for the road on the 27th of September 1999 is for sale with less than 105500 miles on the clock, MOT due 4th May 2017, no advisories, recently rebuilt rear brakes and reconditioned alloy’s.

The owner says #1335, which carries a couple of minor scars on the bonnet and off side rear wheel arch, has fantastic handling and brutal acceleration and would make a great track day car.

If you are interested in purchasing it, through the third party that owns it, please do not hesitate to leave a message below.

Alternatively come and see it at the Avenue Drivers Club Meeting, Queen Square, Bristol on Sunday June 12th 8am sharp, usual disclaimers apply.

Thanks for joining me on this “For Sale” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Dino Evolution – Ferrari 166/206 #0834

Enzo Ferrari was a man who believed that to remain competitive he needed to start with a good car and then continually seek to improve it’s performance with modifications.

The Ferrari 166/206, following the footsteps of the Ferrari Dino 196S and it’s similarly Dino V6 powered Formula siblings the front engined ‘246’ and rear engined Shark Nose ‘Dino 156‘, perfectly exemplifies his Enzo’s continual modification philosophy.

Ferrari 166/206, Silverstone Classic

The original Dino 166/P specification of chassis #0834 seen, in these photo’s at Silverstone Classic last year, was built around a new 185hp variant of the Dino V6 with twin overhead cam shafts per bank, quad cam, and twin plug ignition and a capacity of 1592 cc / 97.2 cui.

The original body was a closed coupé style, similar to that of a bigger V12 powered Ferrari P2 and can be seen on this link.

Despite it’s good handling, in this form the car driven by Giancarlo Baghetti and Giampiero Biscaldi retired from the 1965 1000 kms at Monza after one lap with engine failure, then Lorenzo Bandini drove it to victory at the Vallelunga GP.

However the 166/P’s biggest success against much stronger opposition was at the 1965 Nürburgring 1000 kms where Bandini and Nino Vaccarella came home 4th behind two Ferrari P/2’s and a Porsche 904/8 all with larger motors. This performance was thought so unlikely the events scruitineers had the motor stripped to confirm it’s capacity.

At the 1965 Le Mans 24 hours Baghetti and Mario Casoni only lasted 21 minutes before it retired with a broken valve.

Ferrari 166/206, Silverstone Classic

Two months after Le Mans chassis #0834 was upgraded to 206 S/P specification with a 218hp 1986 cc / 121.2 cui Dino V6 motor and a low cut open top Spyder body, which can be seen on this link.

Ludovico Scarfiotti used the car in this form to win the European Hillclimb championship setting new course records in all of the remaining 1965 championship rounds.

In 1967 the car appeared in the Targa Florio with a third, 206 S, body configuration, similar to the one seen in today’s photographs, where it finished 4th with Jonathan Williams and Vittorio Venturi at the wheel.

Two years later Leandro Terra and Turillo Barbuscia drove #0834 still in 2 litre / 122 cui spec to a 25th place finish in the 1969 Targa Florio.

#0834 is currently owned by Harry Leventis who shares the driving with Gregor Fisken on a regular basis in the The Italian Historic Car Cup.

There is an interesting observation about the “Dino 206” cars by the highly esteemed journalist Doug Nye on this link, makes one wonder what Ing. Forghieri may have come up with on a good day !

Thanks for joining me on this “Dino Evolution” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”. I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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