Peugeot 206: Now from $16,990

PEUGEOT Automobiles Australia has trimmed a further $1000 off the entry-level price of its smallest model as the 206 light hatch run-out gets serious in the lead-up to the launch of its successor, the 207 revealed at Geneva in March.

The lower price of $16,990 applies to a new three-door variant of the base 206 XR, positioned beneath the five-door XR – the price of which was also dropped by $1000 to $17,990 in January.

Originally launched here in September 1999 in both 67kW/137Nm 1.6-litre three and five-door XR guise at $19,900, 206 spawned a 55kW/120Nm 1.4-litre version of the XR five-door in March 2002.

But now the XR three-door is also available with the smaller 1.4-litre engine and, like the five-door, features standard air-conditioning, remote central locking, power front windows, six-speaker AM/FM/CD player, ABS, EBD, EBA, twin front airbags, five three-point seatbelts and front seatbelt pretensioners and force-limiters.

PAA hopes the new three-door XR variant will further boost sales of the popular 206, sales of which are up 36 per cent year-to-date.