Peugeot 206 Manufacturer: Peugeot Production: 1998-2007 Body styles: FF subcompact 3 or 5-door hatchback, 5-door sedan, coupe-cabriolet &

station wagon Predecessors: Peugeot 205 Successors: Peugeot 207 Competitors: The Peugeot 206 is a subcompact automobile manufactured by the French manufacturer Peugeot since 1998. 206 (1998) During the early to mid-1990s Peugeot decided not to directly replace the iconic Peugeot 205, citing the reason that superminis were no longer profitable or worthwhile. Instead, Peugeot followed a unique strategy and decided that its new, much smaller, supermini, the Peugeot 106 launched in 1991, would take sales from the lower end of the 205 range while the lowlier models of the Peugeot 306 range, launched in 1993 to replace the Peugeot 309, would take sales from the top-end 205s. Between the 106 and 306 Peugeot hoped that the 205 would not need to be replaced, and could be phased out slowly, while customers who would normally plump for the 205 would continue to have a choice with either a smaller or larger car. Unfortunately for Peugeot, this strategy did not work. With the 205 slowly phased out sales of rival's superminis continued to sell well and even increased, and without a direct competitor to these rivals Peugeot was losing sales fast. A new supermini was required, and the 206 was launched in 1998 as a somewhat belated replacement to the 205. Although the 206 moniker indicates a direct continuation to the 205, some critics state that the car should have, instead, been badged 207. This is because when Peugeot launched its latest generation of cars in the early to mid 1990s, with 106 of 1991, the 306 of 1993 and the 406 of 1995, the 205. Design and Engineering With no larger in-house rival from Citroen to base its new supermini on (the Citroen AX shared its platform with the 106) Peugeot developed an all-new front drive platform for the 206. Overview The 206 was originally launched as a hatchback with 1.1, 1.4 and 1.6 litre petrol engines and a 1.9 litre turbocharged diesel engine. In 1999 a 2.0 GTI capable of 210 km/h as well

as a tuned version of the GTI called the GTI 180, were was added to the range. In 2001, two more versions of the 206 were launched - the 206 CC (Coup Cabriolet) with a folding steel roof and the 206 SW station wagon. A 4-door sedan version was unveiled in late 2005, and will be made available at the beginning of 2006 for the Eastern European, North African and Iranian markets. The 206 is mainly manufactured in Peugeot's Poissy and Mulhouse factory although the car is also produced at Ryton in Coventry, England and by Iran Khodro in Iran for their respective markets. It was assembled in Chile for the Mexican and Colombian markets (French made 206 were cheaper than Chilean built, in Chile!) The Peugeot 206 proved to be a sales success all over Europe. It was the best-selling car in Europe from 2001 to 2003. The 1.4 LX (now 1.4 SE) was the best-selling model. Engines 1.4 L (1360 cc) TU3 I4, 75 PS (74 hp/55 kW) and 89 ftlbf (121 Nm) 1.4 L (1398 cc) DV4 HDi Diesel I4, 67 PS (66 hp/49 kW) and 118 ftlbf (160 Nm) 1.9 L (1868 cc) DW8 Diesel I4, 71 PS (70 hp/52 kW) and 94 ftlbf (127 Nm) 1.4 L (1360 cc) ET3 16v I4, 89 PS (88 hp/65 kW) and 98 ftlbf (133 Nm) 1.6 L (1587 cc) TU5 16v I4, 108110 PS (107108 hp/7981 kW) and 108110 ftlbf (146149 Nm) 1.6 L (1560 cc) DV6 HDi Diesel I4, 108110 PS (107108 hp/7981 kW) and 177180 ftlbf (240244 Nm) 2.0 L (1997 cc) EW10 16v I4, 136 PS (134 hp/100 kW) and 148 ftlbf (190 Nm) 2.0 L (1997 cc) EW10 16v I4, 180 PS (178 hp/132 kW) and 152 ftlbf (206 Nm) 206 problems Some serious problems have been reported with the UK version of the 206, and, in rare cases, symptoms such as engine cut outs have occurred at high speeds, which have then lead to other faults, such as the steering lock being engaged while the car is in motion. A group of 206 owners based in the United Kingdom came together online and formed a community named "The Peugeot 206 Info Exchange" to discuss problems they had experienced, coming up with solutions and helping other drivers with their knowledge. Recently, some British members managed to take on Peugeot on the BBC television programme Watchdog. Peugeot has since admitted that there may be some problems throughout the range but as of yet they have not been able to fully identify them. 206 in rallying In 1999, Peugeot unveiled the 206 WRC, and it competed for the first time in that year's World Rally Championship. The car was soon a success, and won the driver's championship in 2000 in the hands of Marcus Gronholm. In 2002, Gronholm again won the WRC title in his 206 WRC. His dominance that year was compared to Michael Schumacher's dominance of Formula 1. In addition to the driver's championships in 2000 and 2002, Peugeot also won the Manufacturers title three years in a row between 2000

and 2002. However, by 2003 the 206 WRC was beginning to show its age and was less effective against the competition, notably the newer Citron Xsara WRC and the Subaru Impreza WRC, so it was retired from competition at the end of the season, to be replaced with the 307 WRC. "The Sculptor" A popular television commercial for the 206, known as "The Sculptor", involved a young Indian man deliberately damaging an Ambassador car (including having an elephant sit on it) and then spending the night welding it. The following day, the car emerges as an exact replica of the 206's shape - except with many dents and discolorations. The man then takes his 206 replica driving with friends, with many interested onlookers. SUMBER: http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?dsid=2222&dekey=Peugeot+206