207 Tuning modification guide

"Thanks for reading my 207 tuning guide."

As a car gets older and starts appearing in numbers in the used car market there is a lot more interesting in tuning and aftermarket parts.

The 207 is no different. My first experience of the 207 was a Diesel powered hire car in France. A tune/remap would have lifted the performance of this massively.

This is an automobile manufactured and sold by the French carmaker Peugeot between 2006 and 2014. The 206 was superseded by the 207 in production.

The Citron C3 platform was repurposed for usage in the 207. Another two turbo- and intercooled variants, one with 150 horsepower and the other with 175 horsepower, were added to the lineup. A joint venture between PSA and the BMW Group produced the last four engines.

The Le Mans Series special edition Peugeot 207 was announced after the French carmaker secured the top three spots in qualifying for the 24-hour endurance event. Because there were only 2,000 pieces created, this model is very rare.

The build quality and styling was better than I had seen on previous models and I was glad the lift-off oversteer was still present from the 206.

207 Engine tuning.

There were come great options, the BMW turbo engines are the go to choices for a tuning project though as they give the best returns for your mods.

• 1.4 L I4 (petrol)
• 1.4 L I4 VTi (petrol)
• 1.4 L I4 HDi (diesel)
• 1.6 L I4 VTi (gasoline)
• 1.6 L I4 (turbo) THP (gasoline)
• 1.6 L I4 HDi (diesel)
• 2.0 L I4 HDi (diesel)

For NA (naturally aspirated) engines please watch our video which covers the 5 principles of tuning your . Be sure to keep up with our latest YouTube content and subscribe.

Best mods for your 207

1. 207 Suspension Upgrades - Replacing worn bushings and shocks dramatically improves 207 handling Adjustable coilovers and better bushings are what is needed here.
2. Intake Mods and Exhaust Upgrades - Please note that on their own these mods won't ADD POWER in most cases, but they can help enhance power after other mods by removing the restriction.
3. Tunes - A tune/remap provides the most advantage for the money, replacement ECUs, and Tuning boxes are all alternatives.
4. Fast road Camshafts are generally the biggest mechanical mod upgrade, but they must be fitted by someone who knows what they are doing and they are not always easy to source but you might find a local firm to regrind a stock camshaft.
5. Brake Upgrades - Enhancing your stopping power needs to be listed in your priority list.
6. Flowing and porting the engine head - for larger gains, you will get better flow and make a more efficient engine if you do this to support your other mods.

The common stages of tune on the 207

Typical stage 1 mods often include: Lighter flywheel, Sports exhaust, Suspension upgrade (drop 30-40mm), Panel air filter, Engine Tunes/Remapping, Alloy wheels.

Typical stage 2 mods often include: high flow fuel injector, Power/Sport clutch, Ported and polished head, fuel pump upgrades, Fast road cam.

Typical stage 3 mods often include: Adding or upgrading forced induction (turbo/supercharger), Sports gearbox, Competition cam, Engine balancing, Internal engine upgrades (pistons/head/valves).

You really need to keep as much low end power as you can and aim for a wide power band rather than a top end spike.

A fast road cam will be one of the best power mods you can do mechanically to your engine. Avoid a full blown competition cam as this will upset the cars impeccable manners and driveability on the roads.

Remaps on the turbo are the best and most cost effective mods you can do. It is worth noting that the diesel engines are also completely transformed with a simple remap.

Let's break the best 207 mods down and discuss these in detail

207 Suspension upgrades

Handling on the Sport and GTi models is great but there is still plenty of scope for improvement.

Get a decent set of lowered and fully adjustable coilover shocks. Lower the car a little, about 40 mm should suffice.

On the track, suspension plays a part in fast cornering. The track is smooth and free of bumps and potholes. As a result, you may employ severe suspension and lower the vehicle for improved aerodynamics and a lower centre of gravity.

The rubber suspension bushings will deteriorate with time, causing squeaks, rattles, and bumps, and the suspension will lose its tightness.

Changing to polyurethane bushings is a great starting step.

So, while choosing and setting up your car's suspension, what things must you consider?

For example, engineers must consider road noise and speed bumps while building suspension.

Manufacturers' soft suspensions don't optimise handling or driving enjoyment. Track vehicles are built up for driver preference and style, therefore the best setup is both subjective and track-dependent.

For optimum contact area, suspension maintains tyres at the optimal angle. In addition, the car's centre of gravity must be low. Torquecars recommends a 30mm drop for most sports cars with factory improved suspension.

Common Suspension Myths & problems

Don't make the mistake of buying a 50mm drop non-adjustable suspension kit and expecting perfection.

Most kits are rather general, and vendors typically say they may be used on any or many vehicles. In real life one suspension setup does not accommodate all engine, wheel, and 206 weights (the diesel engines are pretty heavy).

Final drive to wheel hub angle error may damage drive shaft and gearbox so getting the drop and angles right is important when lowering your 207.

This causes premature tyre wear and tires can rub on the arches!

Buying lower springs and using conventional dampers is likewise a terrible idea. The suspension system should be analysed holistically.

Cars look awesome lowered but we should warn you that tyres rub on wheel arches and speed bumps become insurmountable obstacles if you go too low.

Remember that speed bumps will damage the sump, the engine, and the front skirt of a lowered vehicle. Less isn't always better.

With updated suspension, TorqueCars recommends a 30mm drop for most road vehicles (sporty versions which already have lower suspension).

These tolerances may be reduced with standard suspension and 17” rims, however lowering the vehicle may create complications.

207 rear anti roll bar

A rear anti roll bar will help tighten up the car in the corners and replacing your worn bushings with poly ones will sharpen things up considerably.

Many 207 owners uprate the handling of their cars as a priority, this will certainly increase your enjoyment of the car.

Drop the car optimally somewhere in the region of 35mm and fit stiffer dampers, bigger drops will need other modifications in most instances.

Our aim in 207 engine tuning should be to increase peak power and torque at the top end.

The 1.6 VTi is the best base engine to tune up but the THP 175 direct injection engine is a star performer. Although the cars are setup for economy you can tune/remap the turbo engines and really transform the car into a track day monster.

Expect power gains of around 30% from a tune/remap and around 15% better economy! A real win/win if you ask me.

Porting and flowing the 207 head

Using slightly narrower channels with fewer bends or angles frequently improves flow rates.

Turbulance reduces power; the objective should be to have both port apertures roughly the same size in order to eliminate turbulence on the downflow side; this is why many current intakes are now constructed of molded plastic, which is lighter and can be produced to a very exact form.

The objective of making a seamless connection between the intake manifold (x) and the engine port (y) in a highly tuned rally vehicle engine is shown in this illustration.

The fuel injector (f) sprays fuel into the intake manifold and has a direct route to the valves (this does not apply to direct injection engines).

The intake angle has also been reduced so that the flow is practically straight down into the engine. While this is not always achievable on all engines, the emphasis is on smoothing the flow of air and avoiding bends.

Do not go with the largest exhaust you can find; the best for power improvements are generally between 1.5 and 2.5 inches in length.

207 Brake upgrades

Bigger brake discs are the first thing that comes to mind when discussing brake modifications, but don't forget the pads - they're just as crucial, if not more so.

Brakes are crucial – going fast means stopping fast! Bridging the gap between two wheels, brakes turn kinetic energy into heat.

This head evaporates, slowing the automobile. Heavy braking generates brake heat buildup, as seen in night racing when the brakes glow with heat.

With each pedal push, the force is passed to the servo, which utilizes engine power to magnify your foot pressure and activate the brake.

A brake fluid-filled tube delivers the increased pressure to the friction pads (liquids do not compress like air).

So, the colder the disc, the better so size really does matter, to a point, but your cars grip will be the ultimate limiting factor.

The vented disc's middle channel increases the disc's surface to air ratio, improving cooling.

Increase the air ratio between the pad and the disc using drilled discs to keep the pads clean and sharp. Bigger discs Mean greater cooling, but different alloy wheels.

High friction brake pads are required, despite the noise and dust.

Hotter temperatures are needed to make racing pads operate.

For road usage, when braking is done on cold pads or in short bursts, racing grade brake pads are inadequate.

TorqueCars found Pagid and Black Diamond fast road pads to be an excellent balance between braking and wear for a road car.

Performance brake pads emit less dust and last longer than standard pads, yet driving style affects pad and disc wear.

Torquecars urges non-mechanically inclined to leave brake repair to specialists to prevent accidents.

Improved automobile stopping power. Upgrade the discs and pads. This is because a bigger disc has greater friction and disperses more heat.

It's easy to identify lockup with a huge disc conversion kit.

You may buy brake discs and servos from a performance model in the same family if you have a basic family vehicle with modest discs.

Standard disks on a compact family vehicle can be replaced (if they fit the alloy wheels or you require bigger rims) with performance model brakes think VTi GTi etc...

Increase the pad, caliper, and piston count to optimize the disc upgrade.

207 Intake and Exhaust Tuning.

Breathing mods are usually next up. You need to unrestrict the airflow into the engine as much as possible and a cotton panel air filter will help this. A lot of 207 owners go for a full induction kit as the engines sound great with an induction roar but TorqueCars recommend a high flow sports panel air filter as the performance mod.

The airbox gets its feed from the inner wing and you could fit a larger pipe like that fitted to the VR6 Golf which has a better flow rate.

Contrary to popular belief there is often a small power gain obtained by fitting an induction kit, view them as something that removes a restriction rather than adding power.

So they only work well and are recommended after you boost the engines power to the point where the standard air intake box cannot cope!

Diesels do not really benefit from intake or exhaust mods as Peugeot use fairly free flowing parts already.

Sports exhausts will certainly help air flow through the engine but do not go too large or you will reduce the flow rate and upset the cars torque. Stick to 1.5 to 2.0 inch exhaust bore for best results.

We have already seen some 207 fitted with drainpipe exhausts and while these sound great, little if any performance benefit is derived.

Gas flowing the head will allow you to maximize your air/fuel charge. Leave this to a professional though with a proper flow bench and machine tools.

In nearly all cases of 207 tuning where power hikes of 30% or more are reached, your clutch will start to slip and this needs to be uprated - read our article on clutches for more information.

If you have a NA (naturally aspirated) engine then you will usually consider adding forced induction but this can be more problematic than a simple engine swap.

Generally turbo kits are harder to add than superchargers although a few Peugeot specialists are offering turbo and supercharger conversion kits.

The nice steady boost to rpm characteristics of the supercharger make them easier to map. Decreasing the engines compression ratio will allow you to add forced induction, water injection may also help prevent detonation.

207 weight reduction

Lighter cars accelerate faster and handle better.

Obviously, removing the seats, carpets, radio, seat belts, headliners, and air conditioning makes the family vehicle a daily hack.

Incorporating a few bean bags for the kids to sit on won't add much weight (Note: this is not legal or safe in a vehicle!).

Lightening the 207 improves handling and performance.

The removal of glass windows and replacement with perspex saves a lot of weight. While replacing windows with Lexan or Plexi saves weight, the primary front screen should remain as safety glass for obvious reasons.

Many firms provide replacement body panels in aluminum, GRP fiberglass or carbon fiber for optimal weight reduction and strength. Lifting a car's hood reveals how heavy the panels are, thus eliminating as much metal as possible may save a lot of weight.

Many panels are not properly made, therefore always check the panel/bonnet/hood on the vehicle for size before drilling and installing bolts, etc.

A roll cage adds a little weight but may save lives and enhance handling by maintaining the car's stiffness. In addition to the side impact beams, the roll cage allows you to take away inner arches and panels without removing any of the car's construction.

Other metal elements may be made lighter by drilling holes in them, while retaining most of the structure's stiffness. Aluminum wheels assist in minimizing weight. Lighter wheels provide greater direction change handling due to rotational forces. Most alloy magnesium wheels enhance brake airflow and stopping power.

In addition to removing the door hinges and locks, the welding process strengthens the body shell of the automobile. Even when replacing equipment on the automobile, such as brake pads or discs, it is important weighing them and choose the lightest alternative.

For example, alternators, water pumps, flywheels, pistons and blocks are all needlessly weighty, therefore always look for methods to decrease weight. Saving 200g in 5 different locations lowers weight by 1 KG.

207 Wheel modifications.

Alloy wheels have a lower unsprung weight and better brake cooling than steel wheels. Looks fantastic and helps fill out the arches more. Large 207 alloy wheels might have an impact on performance, so be aware of this. Your acceleration will be impacted if you upgrade to larger alloy wheels, which will alter your final drive ratio.

Although some of our members have gone bigger than this with no issues, we would recommend that you limit yourself to 18-inch wheels and low-profile tyres for now.

If you would like to know more, or just get some friendly advice on Tuning your 207 please join us in our car forums where you can discuss your tuning options in more detail with our enthusiastic 207 owners.

It would also be worth reading our unbiased Peugeot tuning articles to get a full grasp of the benefits and drawbacks of each modification.

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This article is flagged for an update, so please pass on specific tips below that I can include. All articles, and content was written by me, Waynne Smith TorqueCars founder. Some outlines are just too general so I appreciate your feedback and suggestions. This entry was filed under Peugeot. You can leave a response below or join our forum to discuss this article and car modification in detail with our members.

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