If anyones bored...
La couve oubliee
'The forgotten hatch'
For starters Peugeot ordered French wafer thin bodywork, a side order of a not overly powerful but willing 1360 8v producing 100bhp, for desert they decided a nimble chassis would finish it off nicely, a good recipe for an entry level hot hatch. The Peugeot 106 XSi.
As I stepped into ‘the office’, the driving position seemed ideal, with the wheel sitting in your lap, not intrusively, just right. Luckily, I was wearing driving shoes, allowing me to put the pedals to good use, if I was wearing anything wider I’d have been as comfortable as Rick Waller in a g-string.
Rotating the ignition key shows an array of illumination; a stumpy white needle levitates, revealing we have sufficient oil to pursue. With a further whirl of the wrist, the radiance of the ignition display darkens, sparking the internal combustion process. A sketchy tick over is then introduced.
After a trade of adjustments on the seat I’m all set to put Peugeot’s hatch through its paces on the tarmac, leaving the weed overgrown gravel, also known as my driveway.
No intermittent flashes or beeps here, to inform you the doors a jar or you’re not wearing your seat belt, oh no, it’s just you and the car.
The XSi is very low geared, consequently you get very familiar with the gearbox in no time, forever swapping ratios in traffic. Flipping the coin over, the low gearing makes enthusiastic driving a hoot, big grins when you pay a visit to other end of the rev range, the entertaining side.
The gear linkage has a ball joint arrangement, allowing 2 adjustments of travel on the lever, reminiscent of its older brother, the 205 GTi. This XSi opted for the taught setting, giving me, the user a more defined exchange of cogs.
The K-series engine found in the XSi’s rival, the Rover Metro GTi, is a more refined unit, 16v, and twin cams, making Peugeot’s engine unsophisticated in comparison. But it is more contemporary technology, where as the TU series dates back to the days of the Talbot Samba! The XSi has the upper hand in other areas though, handling being one.
The 1360 unit pulls right through the rev range from very low down, demonstrating good torque for its capacity. Beyond 6000rpm is where you want to be, second and third in particular. The box tolerates abrupt gear changes, working in synchronization with the throttles razor sharp reactions, creating a very responsive up shift, meaning minimal loss in revs.
Moving away from straight-line performance, the XSi’s true home are twisty B-roads not drag strips, this is where it outclass’ its rivals, even becoming a giant beater on the real tight sections. In the wet you have to treat it with respect, other wise the bends turn into straights, but that’s what you pay for having front wheel drive.
Remember all these notions are being made by a standard model with no trick bits; imagine if there was a multitude of tuning businesses that could make the driving experience even more pleasurable? Well your in luck, even Peugeot their selves has its own ‘special tuning’ department.
So you’ve already got one, but are in two minds as to what to do with it? If sprints and hill climbs doesn’t appeal to you, then how about the stock hatch formula run by the 750 motor club?
Or are you seeking a track day tool that can be used every day, something you can develop, 1.6 16v conversions can work out to be cost effective, these were fitted to the 106 GTi and Saxo VTS, amongst others, fitted to the XSi, you’ll get to 60mph in around 7secs and knocking on the door of 140mph in top. Ooh, suits you, sir. Remember that’s the 16v engine in pretty much standard form. However, before any engine work takes place, improve the other departments first!
Looking back, when ‘Autocar’ magazine first road tested the XSi, they said the 205 GTi felt clumsy in comparison, but to this day the 205 has had all the fame when it comes to celebrated hatches. After reading this I hope you’re tempted to sample an XSi for yourself. Scour Ebay and Autotrader and pick up a tidy one up for around £1000, most are standard, unlike many a molested hatch of this era. Go on, you know you want to.
Useful Links:
www.106rallye.co.uk/
www.psooc.com/
www.gmcmotorsport.co.uk/
www.750mc.co.uk/
How it looks set out on a page:
[URL=http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0WwAaA2gcRCpBcd5cGCsEeARj8KVsoHHnNjr1MuRsxwGjqQwiu1k3qRFgUC0mXVLcE9o4teYGWGPtnhIkGaeymsu3c
4*JPxPeYoq3tWZV1QtSO8s00QgaZG0bUJ1s4NhDe6itgf9Eu9w/XSi%20article%20copy%20small.jpg?dc=4675509047091193953]Mag layout[/URL]
Photography:
Photos of the XSi
Adam.
La couve oubliee
'The forgotten hatch'
For starters Peugeot ordered French wafer thin bodywork, a side order of a not overly powerful but willing 1360 8v producing 100bhp, for desert they decided a nimble chassis would finish it off nicely, a good recipe for an entry level hot hatch. The Peugeot 106 XSi.
As I stepped into ‘the office’, the driving position seemed ideal, with the wheel sitting in your lap, not intrusively, just right. Luckily, I was wearing driving shoes, allowing me to put the pedals to good use, if I was wearing anything wider I’d have been as comfortable as Rick Waller in a g-string.
Rotating the ignition key shows an array of illumination; a stumpy white needle levitates, revealing we have sufficient oil to pursue. With a further whirl of the wrist, the radiance of the ignition display darkens, sparking the internal combustion process. A sketchy tick over is then introduced.
After a trade of adjustments on the seat I’m all set to put Peugeot’s hatch through its paces on the tarmac, leaving the weed overgrown gravel, also known as my driveway.
No intermittent flashes or beeps here, to inform you the doors a jar or you’re not wearing your seat belt, oh no, it’s just you and the car.
The XSi is very low geared, consequently you get very familiar with the gearbox in no time, forever swapping ratios in traffic. Flipping the coin over, the low gearing makes enthusiastic driving a hoot, big grins when you pay a visit to other end of the rev range, the entertaining side.
The gear linkage has a ball joint arrangement, allowing 2 adjustments of travel on the lever, reminiscent of its older brother, the 205 GTi. This XSi opted for the taught setting, giving me, the user a more defined exchange of cogs.
The K-series engine found in the XSi’s rival, the Rover Metro GTi, is a more refined unit, 16v, and twin cams, making Peugeot’s engine unsophisticated in comparison. But it is more contemporary technology, where as the TU series dates back to the days of the Talbot Samba! The XSi has the upper hand in other areas though, handling being one.
The 1360 unit pulls right through the rev range from very low down, demonstrating good torque for its capacity. Beyond 6000rpm is where you want to be, second and third in particular. The box tolerates abrupt gear changes, working in synchronization with the throttles razor sharp reactions, creating a very responsive up shift, meaning minimal loss in revs.
Moving away from straight-line performance, the XSi’s true home are twisty B-roads not drag strips, this is where it outclass’ its rivals, even becoming a giant beater on the real tight sections. In the wet you have to treat it with respect, other wise the bends turn into straights, but that’s what you pay for having front wheel drive.
Remember all these notions are being made by a standard model with no trick bits; imagine if there was a multitude of tuning businesses that could make the driving experience even more pleasurable? Well your in luck, even Peugeot their selves has its own ‘special tuning’ department.
So you’ve already got one, but are in two minds as to what to do with it? If sprints and hill climbs doesn’t appeal to you, then how about the stock hatch formula run by the 750 motor club?
Or are you seeking a track day tool that can be used every day, something you can develop, 1.6 16v conversions can work out to be cost effective, these were fitted to the 106 GTi and Saxo VTS, amongst others, fitted to the XSi, you’ll get to 60mph in around 7secs and knocking on the door of 140mph in top. Ooh, suits you, sir. Remember that’s the 16v engine in pretty much standard form. However, before any engine work takes place, improve the other departments first!
Looking back, when ‘Autocar’ magazine first road tested the XSi, they said the 205 GTi felt clumsy in comparison, but to this day the 205 has had all the fame when it comes to celebrated hatches. After reading this I hope you’re tempted to sample an XSi for yourself. Scour Ebay and Autotrader and pick up a tidy one up for around £1000, most are standard, unlike many a molested hatch of this era. Go on, you know you want to.
Useful Links:
www.106rallye.co.uk/
www.psooc.com/
www.gmcmotorsport.co.uk/
www.750mc.co.uk/
How it looks set out on a page:
[URL=http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0WwAaA2gcRCpBcd5cGCsEeARj8KVsoHHnNjr1MuRsxwGjqQwiu1k3qRFgUC0mXVLcE9o4teYGWGPtnhIkGaeymsu3c
4*JPxPeYoq3tWZV1QtSO8s00QgaZG0bUJ1s4NhDe6itgf9Eu9w/XSi%20article%20copy%20small.jpg?dc=4675509047091193953]Mag layout[/URL]
Photography:
Photos of the XSi
Adam.
Yeah I did, sorry Murphy! Feel free to copy n paste it! To be honest I didn't exactly go through it with a fine comb, to check for grammar etc. But it's more or less there 
I can also send the photos shown on the link, as a bigger res, if you want to add them?
