Stylish 306 Cabriolet is a downright bargain

I’ve got no evidence to prove this, but instinctively I reckon Peugeot 306 rag tops should be making more. In March, Historics sold an unregistered ’95 car in red with just 70 delivery miles from new for only £9520 – but that’s £600 less than H&H drew for the same car last June. For an ‘as new’ Pininfarina-designed convertible with probably the lowest mileage in the world, the price should have gone up, not down. I can’t understand why they’re so unloved. Built from 1993 to 2001, the 309 successor was praised for its soft ride and supple handling and, when it arrived in ’94, the convertible was hailed as Peugeot’s best-looking cabrio ever – an accolade that still holds true.

But goodness, they’ve fallen on hard times. A private seller in Camberley is offering a ’99 car in green with black leather, 28k miles and full history for only £3000, while back in July 2018, SWVA in Poole sold a ’95 Roland Garros special edition automatic with one owner, full dealer history and 41k miles for £4700. Compared to most other Nineties convertibles with such modest mileages, these prices are going backwards. Perhaps the Pug isn’t aggressive or sexy enough to captivate mainstream enthusiasts. Or maybe it’s even simpler than that – the soft top 306 has never really appeared on most buyer’s radar screens as potential modern classic material. One thing’s for sure though, this is now a very rare Peugeot in the UK. In 2002, the DVLA had 3600 registered on its mainframe, but the most recent data shows that number has reduced to only 233 taxed and 426 on SORN – a 2950 scrappage rate for a swish convertible in 18 years is some going. Don’t say I didn’t warn you when they’re all gone.