HISTORY
A century of models
1983 : 205
Victory on all fronts or the Peugeot best seller
As with the 201 203 and 204, mutatis mutandis, the 205 became one of the most important models in the history of Peugeot. Its role was decisive in the recovery of the company after the troublesome takeover of the european subsidiaries of Chrysler bought in 1978. A period marked also by the regression of certain parts of the market and financial losses accumulated over the first few years of the 1980's.
A best seller, the 204 increased Peugeot's penetration into the French market by a considerable margin in only a few years. Over a million vehicles were sold in two years. A huge success arriving just at the right moment!
Everything contributed to the happy outcome of this “sacré numéro” (“magic number”): its road manners and technology, advertising campaigns and its appealing design. The design abandoned the orthogonal lines of the 104 for more appealing curves and this latest design by Gérard Welter's team was chosen instead of Pininfarina's proposal. The interior styling was the work of Paul Bracq.
Compact (3.70 metres) and very agile for a front-wheel-drive, the 205 was offered in several versions in terms of equipment levels, engines and gearboxes. A wide range of five and three door versions were offered, along with the cabriolet and Turbo 16 performance version, not to mention the special editions such as the Roland Garros Lacoste and Junior, which would later become a standard entry-level trim.
Initially powered by 1 litre, 1.1 litre and 1360 cc (45 hp to 80 hp) powerplants, as well as a 50 hp diesel (that would later develop 60 hp), the 205 received a new generation of more modern engines in 1988, the TU series, the most powerful (85 hp) being fitted to the XS coupled to a 5-speed gearbox.
But it is the famous GTI, the flagship model launched in 1984, that would guarantee the success of the 205 and give Peugeot a positive youthful and dynamic image. Launched in response to the Golf GTI, this pocket rocket succeeded in its mission, even giving superior dynamic qualities (handling and braking). It would have three engines, firstly a 1.6 litre developing 105 hp (190 km/h), then 115 hp and, at the 1986 motor show, a 1.9 litre injection engine developing 130 hp (205 km/h).
The 205's pinnacle was the Turbo 16, a technological monster of which 200 were constructed to homologate the racing version. The car boasted the following features and achievements: 1.8 litre twin cam four valve per cylinder engine, turbocharged, 200 hp for the road version, rear-mid transverse with all-wheel drive. The World Rally Championship titles won in 1985 and 1986 by the Turbo 16 and its victories in the Paris Dakar rally from 1987 to 1988 contributed to the legend of the 205, without mentioning the benefits in terms of Peugeot's international image.
During its phenomenally successful 15 years of production, the 5.3 million 205s built contributed to the legend of Peugeot's mythical new model.