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Feb 2001
Xsara Series II
Larger, teardrop-shaped headlights denote the Xsara facelift, which also added a two three-door hatchback variants and significantly upgraded mechanicals.The 1.8s vanished, replaced by an 83kW/150Nm 1.6-litre twin-cam 16-valve four-cylinder engine paired to a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox.It powered both the Xsara 1.6 five-door and manual-only VTR three-door ‘Coupe’, which also became the cheapest new Xsara.Equipment levels included dual airbags, climate control air-conditioning and anti-lock brakes.Meanwhile the Xsara 2.0 five-door hatchback now produced 102kW/194Nm in five-door hatchback mode and included stability and cruise control systems from mid-’02.But the fastest Xsara was the 2.0 VTS three-door ‘Coupe’, using Peugeot’s 124kW/196Nm 2.0-litre engine and mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.Still, sales were never strong, and it wasn’t until the radically styled, Peugeot 307-based Citroen C4 arrived in early 2005 that the company once again found its small-car styling mojo.

Nov 2000
Sydney show: Peugeot in three-pronged attac...
Peugeot reveals a luxury sedan, funky convertible and an upbeat boss of Australian distributorship

Sep 2000
Paris show: Peugeot's pointer to the f...
Peugeot aims to stop traffic at the Paris motor show with the retro-inspired Prometheus

Jul 2000
Slinky Pug goes topless
Peugeot's new 206 Coupe Cabriolet will be formally launched at the Paris motor show

Oct 1999
NCP10R /NCP12R Echo
Toyota’s replacement for the competent but dull Starlet couldn’t have been bolder. Or better at the time.The Echo (Yaris in Europe, Vitz in Japan) was designed to conquer Europe and its legion of light car “superminis” headed by the VW Polo, Renault Clio, Ford Fiesta, Opel Corsa/Holden Barina and Peugeot 206.To that end Toyota Europe engineered a strong and versatile three and five-door hatchback, while Japan devised the shockingly dowdy and tippy-toed four-door Echo Sedan that was meant to appeal to American and Asian markets. It bombed in both.Made in Japan rather than in France, Aussie-bound Echo hatchbacks were powered by an eager 63kW/122Nm 1.3-litre DOHC 16V Variable Valve Timing (VVT) four-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic gearbox.It quickly shot to the top of its class, aided by a spacious and versatile interior, agreeable dynamics, a comfy ride and space-age (albeit divisive) digital instrumentation.But base models hatchbacks were spartan, with only a driver’s airbag and cassette player included.The much-needed power steering wasn’t made standard until October ’02, while safety gear like a passenger airbag and anti-lock brakes were only available via a costly Safety Pack.From March ’01 the Echo Sedan’s 80kW/142Nm 1.5-litre DOHC 16V VVT engine was slightly reworked, along with the suspension, steering, cabin trim and wheels, for the manual-only Echo Sportivo hatchback.Despite these additions though it wasn’t a very convincing baby hot-hatch.

Sep 1999
206
Peugeot belatedly replaced its loved 205 model with the 206 in the late '90s, and managed to make an even bigger success of it – in part because of the superb styling inside and out.Released locally in September ’99, three three-door and five-door models arrived – in 67kW/137Nm 1.6-litre SOHC 8V four-cylinder engined XR and better-equipped XT, as well as 102kW/194Nm 2.0-litre DOHC 16V GTI.All bar the latter were partnered with a four-speed automatic as well as a five-speed manual gearbox.But the GTI, after an initial flush of excitement, proved unworthy of its illustrious 205 GTI predecessor, primarily because Peugeot added extra weight, equipment and safety to a larger and more refined package.At least it was not as hairy to drive. A flood of 206 derivatives then followed.A sprightlier 1.6 featuring DOHC and 16V technology lifted XR and XT outputs to 82kW/147Nm from early ’01, followed by a new entry-level model from March ’02.Featuring a new 55kW/120Nm 1.4-litre engine, it was put into the XR five-door hatch and priced under $20,000.A small facelift featuring new trim, extra safety features (more airbags, standard ABS brakes), a Tiptronic-style shift on automatics and redesigned tail-lights, was incorporated from March ’04, while the GTI 180 supplemented the regular version.With extensively reworked steering, suspension and 1997cc engine (now producing 130kW/202Nm), it brought sharper dynamics and more performance to the once-great variant – but Peugeot’s decision not to install lift-off oversteer infuriated purists.Special editions of regular 206s included the well-specified XRS 1.6 (from mid-’01 and mid-’03), as well as the GTI Rallye of late ’02 – identified by a body kit and extra kit.

Aug 1999
Citroen Berlingo
CITROEN scored a surprise hit with the Berlingo everywhere it has sold.Based on the Xsara small car’s front-wheel drive platform (itself derived from the 1993 Peugeot 306), the Berlingo is exactly the sort of basic, roomy, supply suspended and simple work vans the French are famous for.

Aug 1999
Berlingo Series 1
CITROEN scored a surprise hit with the Berlingo everywhere it has sold.Based on the Xsara small car’s front-wheel drive platform (itself derived from the 1993 Peugeot 306), the Berlingo is exactly the sort of basic, roomy, supply suspended and simple work vans the French are famous for.Only the single 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine model has been available in Australia, in two-seater panel van-only guise. Elsewhere the Berlingo is also a four-door windowed wagon called Multispace, with rear seats and many extras included.The powerplant produces 58kW and 111Nm, and is mated to a five-speed manual only gearbox.Power steering, a trip computer and radio-cassette player are standard, with an immobiliser and a driver’s airbag added from November 2000 and air-conditioning in May ’03.

Aug 1999
D9 406
A thorough facelift brought a new grille, bumpers, headlights, tail-lights and bonnet, while revised cabin trim, new colours, more safety and extra standard features completed the visible changes.Underneath Peugeot introduced new engines, fettled with the suspension components and steering to improve dynamics and ride, while improved seats and better refinement rounded out the upgrade.The standard ST automatic used the old 406’s 100kW/187Nm 1998cc 2.0 unit, but the manual now featured a different 1997cc 2.0 producing 102kW/194Nm.An 82kW/255Nm 1997cc 2.0 HDi turbodiesel (in sedan-only guise until mid-’01, when a wagon and an auto arrived) replaced the old derv unit.

Aug 1999
N5 306 Series III
To make room for the newer, smaller 206, Peugeot realigned the 306 range by dropping the three-door Style for a five-door version.It lasted until October 2000. The 100kW 2.0 engine from the sporty XSi also made its way into the XT five-door hatch and the new XT sedan, with the latter replacing the XR 1.8 sedan.Meanwhile, the XTDT diesel sedan lived only until April 2000, usurped by the much-improved XT HDi.In October 2000, as part of a range-wide equipment upgrade, the XT models gained anti-lock brakes.Except for the 306 Cabriolet, the larger, all-new 307 took over from late 2001.

Aug 1998
Xsara Series 1
TO Citroen traditionalists the Xsara represents the nadir of its design potential – not only was it bland but it was also not very attractive.The Xsara replaced a model Australians never saw locally, the 1991 ZX, and shared many drivetrain and platform components with the 1994-2001 Peugeot 306 hatchback.But the cabin quality and presentation – as well as the equipment levels – generally exceeded the 306’s, while maintaining that model’s renowned steering and handling qualities.Initially two five-door hatchback models represented the Xsara.The 1.8 comes in two guises – a 74kW/153Nm single-cam 8-valve unit (for the four-speed automatic) or an 84kW/155Nm twin-cam 16-valve motor for the five-speed manual.A 97kW/184Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine – also with the same gearbox options – was the better-equipped Xsara.Confusingly a 67kW/136Nm 1.6-litre single-cam 8-valve four-speed automatic model was available throughout 2000 only.

Aug 1998
Citroen Xsara
Built off the fine Peugeot 306 platform, the Citroen Xsara small car offered fine dynamics, a good ride and an appealing interior, but was dressed in the drabbiest clothes to have been seen on a French car since Renault's forgettable R19 of a few years prior.

Oct 1997
D8 406 Coupe Pininfarina
Breathtakingly beautiful from every angle, the 406 Coupe was built on the D8 406 platform by Pininfarina in Italy.As an intended rival to the BMW 3 Series coupe, Mercedes CLK and Volvo C70, it was also luxuriously appointed and quite spacious for a four-seater two-door, and boasted more than a hint of Ferrari F550 Maranello that was also penned by Pininfarina.Only a single model arrived, powered by the SV model’s 144kW/267Nm 3.0-litre V6 combined with a four-speed automatic gearbox.Dual airbags, ABS brakes, leather upholstery, heated and powered front seats, cruise control, sunroof and a CD player were included.From August ’99 a slightly re-specified 406 Coupe arrived, with side airbags, while finally Peugeot offered a five-speed manual gearbox option.

Jul 1997
N5 306 Series II
Although visibly similar, the many changes Peugeot wrought to the N5 306 included a beefier body, a new nose and tail, revamped cabin, revised drivetrains and improved electronics.“Style” replaced the XR hatch, XR sedan replaced the SR and ST, the diesel disappeared but the XT hatch designation remained.An 84kW twin-cam 16-valve 1.8 engine powered manuals the autos persisted with the old 77kW 1.8 unit.Meanwhile, the XSi 2.0’s power jumped to 100kW and an exciting 124kW six-speed manual GTI-6 usurped the S16. A 67kW XRDT diesel sedan in early ’99, but was replaced by the better-equipped XTDT in August ‘99.

Sep 1996
D8 406
In some respects the stylish front-wheel drive 406 was a return to old-school Peugeot values (large cabin, supple suspension, solid build and excellent dynamics), combined with modern attributes like high levels of safety, useable technology and ample performance.It seemed more like a replacement for the rear-drive 505 than the smaller, more flimsy 405. In fact speculation was rife that it was going to be called the 506. But 406 it was.Initially it was sold as the 406 ST four-door sedan, complete with a 100kW/187Nm 1998cc 2.0-litre DOHC 16V four-cylinder engine married to a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual gearbox.In October ’97 the luxurious SV sedan, powered by a 144kW/267Nm 3.0-litre DOHC a 24V V6 variant, as well as an 82kW/251Nm 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel manual sedan known as the STDT, joined the 2.0 ST.As well, the gorgeous Pininfarina-built 406 Coupe automatic arrived. Wagon buyers, well-served by Peugeot since the 1960s, had to wait until March ’98 for the turbodiesel STDT and a year longer for the SV V6 version.

Peugeot