The Peugeot 206 in its 119 bhp 2.0L HDI version. All fire and fuel.

Owners of petrol guzzlers, tired of paying almost 1,2 Euros for your litre of Super, you wonder about Super, you wonder whether perhaps the car fairy might not have something in its sack to get you out of this fix. Economy and power rarely go hand in hand and finding a suitable match is difficult. However, the 206 HDi presented here is one of the rare exceptions that prove the rule, so running on diesel is no longer a flaw. Combining driving flexibility with a sporty character at every level, it is efficient both for gentle and aggressive driving, depending on how you feel at the time. Sébastien, the purchaser of a 2000 model, not content with its standard 90 bhp, hurried off to put his car, as soon as he purchased it, into the expert hands of Power System in Wasquehal, on the outskirts of Lille. Fitted with an additional box on the original Common Rail system, the vehicle benefited from an extra 30 bhp and 5 KGM of additional torque, enabling it henceforth to overtake worthy of a saloon.

The consequent measured improvement increased the car’s responsiveness : from 1500 revs upwards, the accelerator pedal had to be handled carefully to avoid leaving rubber on the road. The formidable torque available enables the car to respond to any eventuality, whatever the revs. Without being Dantesque, acceleration is clear and incisive at 2500 rpm, the rev counter’s needle then jumps and you urgently need to remember to change gear. The car’s other strong point is its chassis. Its original design does not suffer from the increase obtained, both the additional power and torque suit the machine admirably. With a 2.5-second improvement on the 1000m standing start and when accelerating from 49.7 to 74.5 miles/h, the car takes on a clear sporty character. In terms of top speed, the change is even more radical. Endowed with the same platform as the 516, the fifteen extra miles/h do not affect the car’s stability at all, making it safe from every point of view. A very reasonably priced system that will satisfy even the most indecisive. Diesel detractors are going to have to change their mind! A great success.