I'm a big fan of 106's having owned a Series One 106 Rallye in red, brilliant car, and in 3 years I went from 57K to about 94K and only ever had to replace a drop link, front discs/pads, rear shoes and tyres. All I had done to it was a Peugeot Sport Group N exhaust and no cat, drop in filter, don't what ever you do stick an induction kit on these cars, the French hot hatches (in fact most modern cars) have excellent airboxes that you will more than likely drop power rather than gain, read this months Performance Tuner Mag for a very comprehensive test on a Clio 172, every single kit bar one lost power and introduced higher inlet temps
106 Rallyes are rare, always have been Series One about 1000 made it to the UK, and Series Two about 500IIRC, though all facts and stuff can be found on them over at
http://www.rallyeregister.co.uk/
Depending on what route you want to take do not rule out the Saxo VTR as its cheaper to buy, but being a 8valve engine of fairly low compression & robust nature takes to being 'charged on standard internals, something the higher strung 16V doesn't like.
I used to work with a guy in Glasgow who had a lovely MK1 Saxo VTR in white, outside only give aways were larger though not that big black multispoke wheels hiding big brakes and a carbon bonnet which was vented to allow heat out. His was supercharged running something like 175bhp and it was very quick and reliable as it was his everyday car.
Funny thing is only last year when I started working at Coventry Airport, one of the assistants there drove a TT as everyday car, but his weekend toy was a Saxo VTR with Rotrex Supercharger on it running DasTec Unichip to control fueling, I never saw it but I believe it was in one of the mags about 12months ago, can't remember which now, something like RedLine/Fast Car etc, can't ask him as he's now a pilot at Chester (Hawerden) Airport.
I remember when the 106 GTi came out, Top Gear (old format) absolutely loved it, they took in on to a slalom test and it produced over a G of cornering grip, which was not far off the 911 they had there too, and way more than standard Focus which was the bench mark car.
As for standard performance, taken from EVO magazine as tested by them
106 GTi issue 95 full feature article
0-60mph = 7.4secs
0-100mph = 22.2secs
120 bhp@6600rpm
107 lb ft@5200rpm
Weight 950kgs
bhp/ton = 128
127mph top speed
Star rating, 4.5 out of 5
Summary; Best handling Super mini, looks its age.
Saxo VTS issue 20, road/group test
0-60mph = 7.6secs
0-100mph = 22.6secs
120bhp@6600rpm
107 lb ft@5200rpm
Weight 925kgs
bhp/ton = 130
127mph top speed
4.5/5
Summary; Chunky, chuckable charger, can catch out the unwary.
Fiat Punto HGT issue 20, road/group test (probably same one as Saxo)
0-60mph = 8.0 secs
0-100mph = 25.3secs
130bhp@6300rpm
121lb ft@4300rpm
Weight 1040kgs
bhp/ton = 127
127mph top speed
3/5
Summary; Italian spirit, style - lacks French handling flair.
