Peugeot 306
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| Peugeot 306 | |
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| Manufacturer: | Peugeot |
| Production: | 1993-2001 |
| Car class: | Small family car |
| Body Styles: | FF 3/5-door hatchback, 4-door saloon, estate and 2-door cabriolet |
| Predecessors: | Peugeot 309 Peugeot 305 |
| Successors: | Peugeot 307 |
| Competitors: | Ford Escort Opel Astra Renault Mégane Volkswagen Golf |
| Related: | Citroen Xsara Citroen ZX |
The Peugeot 306 is a small family car built by the French car manufacturer Peugeot from 1993 to 2001.
Contents |
[edit] Background
The 306 was the replacement for the Peugeot 309 (which had broken with Peugeot's normal ascending numbering system partly due to its being released before the older Peugeot 305 was axed).
Mechanically, the 306 is virtually identical to the Citroën ZX, which was launched two years before the 306: both cars use the same floorpan and core structure. The 306, with it's attractive Peugeot 205 derived Pininfarina styling, was a more successful car than its twin. The Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner were also built on the same platform. The chassis used by the 306 and ZX was also used in the ZX's replacement, the Citroën Xsara. The sharing of platforms between Peugeot and Citroën has been parent company PSA Peugeot Citroën policy since the late 1970s, after the Peugeot takeover of the then bankrupt Citroen in the wake of the 1974 oil crisis. The first car being the Peugeot 104 based Citroen Visa and Citroën LNA. The policy continues today with the Peugeot 107, Citroen C2 and Toyota Aygo.
[edit] 306 Phase 1
The 306 arrived in March 1993 as a 3- and 5-door hatchback, with saloon, cabriolet and estate models being introduced later. The estate version was branded as the sw, for "station wagon".
A bewildering array of different model types were offered during the life of the Phase 1 model, including X, XT, XRdt and Xd. Later were added various 'performance' models, such as the S16, XSi and GTI-6 (petrol) and the D-Turbo S (diesel).
All variants of the 306, with the exception of the GTI-6 and cabriolet models, were priced very competitively.
[edit] Petrol engines
The initial petrol engines used were proven four-cylinder units, which had gained a solid reputation in Peugeot models such as the 205, 309 and 405. At first, all mainstream models were powered by derivatives of the TU series 8-valve engine, in 1.1, 1.4 and 1.6 litre guises. The 1.1 was dropped quickly, but the 1.4 and particularly the 1.6 variants sold well; the latter offering a good balance between performance and economy.
Three larger-capacity units were available, but restricted to automatic and performance models. These engines were developments of the larger XU series units which had been used in the 205 GTi 1.9, and larger 405 models. A 1.8 litre version powered the models with automatic transmission; while two versions of the 2.0 litre engine in 8- and 16-valve guises powered the XSi and S16 models respectively. Although both versions were praised by the motoring press, the "peaky" nature of the 16-valve unit and its relatively small performance advantage over the 8-valve damaged the reputation of the S16 model.[citation needed]
[edit] Diesel engines
Peugeot had an excellent reputation for its diesel engines, and the 306 was originally offered with the XUD series diesel engine in both normally-aspirated and turbocharged forms. This engine was initially a 1.8 litre unit, but its capacity was soon enlarged to 1.9 litres. The turbocharged version quickly gained a reputation for being a good match for the exceptional handling of the 306. Not only did its outright performance match many similarly-sized petrol cars – almost certainly a first for an affordable mainstream diesel – but the carefully-designed installation ensured its considerable extra weight did not upset the car's handling. The Indirect Injection XUD Diesel is popular for conversion to run on vegetable oil.
[edit] Chassis design
The PSA powertrains, described above, drove the front wheels of a chassis with a seemingly conventional design. At the front was a standard McPherson strut layout with anti-roll bar, while the rear used a semi-independent trailing arm/torsion bar set up. However, Peugeot's chassis engineers employed some unusual features, including passive rear wheel steering (by means of specially designed compliance bushes in the rear suspension), and in-house developed and constructed shock absorbers. The diesel and larger capacity petrol engines are canted as far back as possible in the engine bay in an effort to put as much weight as possible behind the front axle line, improving weight distribution, and minimising understeer. The 306 was possibly regarded as the best handling small family car of its time, until the arrival of the Ford Focus.
[edit] Versions
Trim levels were XN, XL, XR, XT and XS. There were no longer "X/G" designations, "X" indicating a three-door, "G" indicating a five-door. There were also special edition versions too, badged "Alpine" from 1994.
[edit] Performance models
Peugeot created a D-Turbo "hot hatch" version, which was essentially a petrol XS model with the diesel unit installed. As well as being regarded as the first affordable "performance diesel" the D-Turbo is also credited with being the first mainstream diesel specifically designed to appeal to the keen driver as much as the economically-minded motorist. It was a popular seller in all its various phases throughout the life of the car.[citation needed]
The D-Turbo and XS variants were fitted as standard with front fog lights, body-coloured bumpers with deeper spoilers, sports seats and different steering wheel, and a wider, chromed exhaust tailpipe; 14-inch alloy wheels were an optional extra. The models fitted somewhere between the XR and XT variants in terms of standard equipment.
The XSi 8v 2.0 Petrol had the addition of subtle side skirts and the optional extra of 15-inch five spoke alloy wheels. These became standard shortly after.
The S16 was replaced with the more powerful GTI-6 in 1996. It had more power courtesy of a reworked engine, a close-ratio 6-speed gearbox and some subtle chassis revisions.The GTI-6 engine was more flexible than that in the S16, and the new gearbox made it easier to use the engine more effectively.
[edit] 306 Phase 2
The 306 underwent the only major revamp of its life in May 1997, with the launch of the "Phase 2" version. The basic shape remained the same, but lights, grille and bumpers were redesigned in an effort to bring the styling into line with the new, more rounded, Peugeot family look established with the Peugeot 406. Indicator lamps were now incorporated into the headlamp unit and the new style "block filled" Peugeot lion logo was adopted. A new-style typeface for the car's model number was adopted on the tailgate. There were also some changes to the dashboard layout and trim quality which freshened up the car in the face of increasingly stiff competition from other manufacturers. New engines were also offered, with both 1.8 and 2.0 petrol engines gaining 16-valve cylinder heads together with modest power increases. In 1998 the popular but ageing XUD series diesel engines were phased out and replaced with Peugeot's first generation 2.0 HDi common rail diesel in a turbocharged form only. Although power output remained unchanged, and outright performance remained similar, the new unit brought significant benefits in terms of economy, emissions and refinement.
Cars from 1998 onwards received further enhancements, including an aluminium-effect centre console on certain versions and a chrome Peugeot logo on the steering wheel. Other updates included a slight tweaking of the "306" badge on the bootlid – now without a black plastic backing – and new upholstery in the cabin.
New models also appeared in Phase 2 trim. The Rallye was launched using the mechanicals from the GTI-6, but with less standard equipment. The Rallye was 65kg lighter than the GTI-6, which meant better performance. It only came in three colours - black, cherry red and white. There were only 500 Rallyes produced, which makes them hard to find. The only drawback is the insurance costs as the Rallye is in group 16.
The Meridian model (originally a special edition) was also re-launched in 1999 and boasted a generous equipment list including new half-leather seats, and further cosmetic upgrades to the interior. Cars for the 2000 model year had further exterior modifications, including clear lenses on the headlamps, complete colour-coding of the exterior trim, removal of the black plastic strip on the lower edge of the tailgate and new paint colours.
[edit] The end of the line
Although the 306's reputation for dynamic excellence was attracting buyers, its growing reputation for high maintenance costs, lacklustre dealers, and questionable reliability were putting them off. Despite Peugeot's efforts, the car placed poorly in a variety of ownership and customer satisfaction surveys of the time, such as the annual JD Power survey which was run in association with the BBC Top Gear television programme. Nevertheless the car was a regular feature in the UK top 10 sales charts until its replacement in 2001.
The hatchback 306 was discontinued in 2001 to make way for its replacement, the Peugeot 307. The cabriolet and estate variants both remained on sale until 2002. The controversially-styled saloon had been discontinued in 1999.
[edit] Safety
In the 2006 Australian Used Car Safety Ratings, the Peugeot 306 manufactured between 1994-2001 was rated "significantly better than average" in its ability to protect its occupants in the event of a crash. This was one of the highest results achieved in the 2006 ratings.
[edit] List of engines
- 1.4 L (1360 cc) TU3 I4, 75 PS (75 hp/55 kW) and 89 ft·lbf (121 N·m)
- 1.6 L (1587 cc) TU5 I4, 90 PS (88 hp/66 kW) and 99 ft·lbf (135 N·m)
- 1.8 L (1761 cc) XU7 I4, 103 PS (101 hp/75 kW) and 113 ft·lbf (153 N·m)
- 1.8 L (1761 cc) XU7 I4, 112 PS (110 hp/82 kW) and 114 ft·lbf (155 N·m)
- 1.9 L (1905 cc) XUD9 Diesel I4, 90 PS (88 hp/66 kW) and 144 ft·lbf (196 N·m)
- 2.0 L (1997 cc) DW10 HDi Diesel I4, 90 PS (88 hp/66 kW) and 151 ft·lbf (205 N·m)
- 2.0 L (1998 cc) XU10 I4, 123 PS (121 hp/90 kW) and 129 ft·lbf (176 N·m)
- 2.0 L (1998 cc) XU10 I4, 135 PS (133 hp/99 kW) and 137 ft·lbf (187 N·m)
- 2.0 L (1998 cc) XU10 I4, 150 PS (147 hp/110 kW) and 135 ft·lbf (183 N·m)
- 2.0 L (1998 cc) XU10 I4, 167 PS (167 hp/124 kW) and 147 ft·lbf (200 N·m)
[edit] External links
| Peugeot, a marque of PSA Peugeot Citroën, road vehicle timeline, 1980s-present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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