History Car 1990s

Peugeot 306 Maxi Kit Car

Overview Specs Highlights Characteristics

Overview

The Peugeot 306 Maxi was Peugeot Sport's front-drive two-litre Kit Car developed from the Group A homologated three-door 306 16S. Its first Maxi development appeared in 1995; a significantly evolved 306 II Maxi followed in 1997 with further engine, bodywork and suspension development.

Designed primarily for asphalt, the car exploited Formula 2's relatively low minimum weight and wide-track allowances. Although it competed in the same rallies as turbocharged four-wheel-drive World Rally Cars, it belonged to the two-wheel-drive A7/F2 category, not the four-wheel-drive WRC class.

Technical Specs & Innovations

  • Competition class: FIA Group A A7 / Formula 2 Kit Car; production-derived 306 16S base homologation with Maxi kit extensions.
  • FIA original homologation: A-5510, Peugeot 306 16S Group A, effective 2 April 1994; FIA lists a June 1995 01/VK and July 1997 03/VK kit extension.
  • Model evolutions: 306 I Maxi (1995) and 306 II Maxi (1997 onwards); competition details must be tied to the correct homologation extension.
  • Engine family: Peugeot XU10 DOHC 16-valve normally aspirated petrol inline-four, front transverse; later II Maxi sheets identify XU10J4RS derived development.
  • Displacement (II Maxi): 1,998 cc, 86 × 86 mm bore/stroke per the 1997 II Maxi technical reference.
  • Induction and injection: No turbocharger; four-valve cylinder head, high-revving competition camshafts and Magneti Marelli engine management.
  • Period II Maxi engine output: Specialist technical data lists roughly 280–300 hp depending on build/tune, with a very high engine speed; no single horsepower number is authoritative for both evolutions.
  • Transmission: Front-wheel drive, competition six-speed sequential gearbox in documented 1997 II Maxi references, with limited-slip differential.
  • Rally weight: Approximately 960 kg for period two-litre Maxi/Kit Car category specification, not the 306 S16 road-car kerb weight.
  • Bodywork: Three-door 306 shell strengthened with competition cage, enlarged arches, wider track and tarmac aerodynamic modifications.
  • Chassis dimensions: II Maxi technical sources cite roughly 2,600 mm wheelbase and 1,835–1,855 mm overall width depending on build/source.
  • Suspension: Developed front strut geometry and competition rear suspension, with adjustable dampers and revised mounting geometry for asphalt.
  • Brakes: Large performance discs and race calipers; fitted rotor sizes and wheel diameters changed with surface and homologated options.
  • Dry-tarmac bias: Designed to trade all-wheel-drive traction for lower mass and exceptional grip/corner speed on sealed stages.

Engine-code caution: The 1997 II Maxi homologation reference calls its engine XU10J4RS-derived, whereas other documents abbreviate it to XU10J4. This archive identifies the development context instead of labeling all 1995–98 306 Maxi engines identically.

Result classification: Two-wheel-drive F2 wins, French championship titles and an outright WRC rally podium are different achievements and should appear separately.

🏆 Competitive Highlights

  • 1995: The original 306 Maxi entered French rally competition after Peugeot Sport's earlier 306 16S efforts.
  • 1996 French championship: Gilles Panizzi and co-driver Hervé Panizzi won the French Rally Championship in the 306 Maxi.
  • 1996 Tour de Corse: Gilles and Hervé Panizzi finished second overall to Philippe Bugalski/Jean-Paul Chiaroni's Renault Mégane Maxi. That year's Corse was a 2-Litre Cup event, not a main WRC round.
  • 1997: Gilles Panizzi retained the French championship. At the WRC Tour de Corse, he and Hervé finished third overall, behind Colin McRae and Carlos Sainz.
  • 1998 Tour de Corse: François Delecour / Daniel Grataloup placed second overall, 27.2 seconds behind Colin McRae's Subaru Impreza WRC98; Gilles and Hervé Panizzi were fourth in another 306 Maxi.
  • Outcome: The 306 Maxi was exceptionally fast on sealed roads, but it did not win the 1997 or 1998 WRC Tour de Corse outright.

Driving Characteristics

The 306 II Maxi paired a high-rpm, normally aspirated two-litre engine with wide-track suspension and a sequential gearbox. Its power band rewarded close-ratio shifts and sustained corner speed; maintaining traction through the front axle made differential calibration and front tyre choice central to stage performance.

Asphalt precision came with limitations on loose or very low-grip surfaces, where four-wheel-drive rivals had a traction advantage. The II Maxi's changes should not be retrospectively assigned to the original 1995 version.

Development & legacy

The Maxi established a technical benchmark for front-drive asphalt rally cars and helped develop Gilles Panizzi's reputation as a tarmac specialist before the Peugeot 206 WRC era. The third-place WRC podium in 1997 and second-place finish in 1998 provide measurable evidence of its pace without resorting to generic superlatives.

Research sources & verification

← Previous Car Peugeot 206 WRC
Back to Cars Index
Proton Wira Next Car →

Watch rallies anywhere — bypass region blocks with NordVPN.

Fast servers for HD streams Servers in 60+ countries 30-day money-back

Unblock coverage — Save up to 77% + 3 months free

Sponsored link. Using our partner links helps support Compromised Internals at no extra cost to you.