Peugeot 205 GTi
The Peugeot 205 GTi is remembered as one of the iconic hot-hatches in history, and one of the defining cars of the 1980s. Voted as ‘Car of the Decade’ by Car Magazine in 1990.
The GTi was available in 1.6 and 1.9 editions and whilst both were highly regarded, the 1.9 carried the most appeal with a 126bhp engine, along with additional features such as larger 15 inch alloy wheels, disc-brakes all round and half-leather trim.
Coupled with the car’s attractive Pininfarina styling, the 205 GTi became a huge sales hit, and a Group B rally version of the car was campaigned in the World Rally Championship with some success during the mid 1980s.
The car is known to be rewarding to drive, with good feedback to the driver when cornering, and is regarded as one of the first front-wheel drive cars to be as rewarding to drive as a rear-wheel drive cars. However, by modern standards the car can be difficult to drive for the unwary, lacking electronic driver aids commonly seen in modern hot-hatches, and with a tendency to oversteer whilst cornering (should the driver lift dramatically off the accelerator mid-corner)
Many 1.9 205 GTi models were modified by transplanting the 1.9 16-valve DOHC engine from the Peugeot 405 Mi16. With both engines being very similar, it was a straightforward modification giving a dramatic power increase of up to 60bhp.
Sadly, rising insurance premiums led to the 205 GTi’s demise in 1993. The car is now becoming something of a collectable classic, and with so many examples being thrashed to oblivion and tastelessly modified by boy racers who use window film for colour tinting, clean, original examples are now worth several thousand pounds.
Intrested in any of these?:| Interested in SCSI Drives ? |
| Are you looking for Car Batteries |
| Equine Insurance come and get a quote. |
| We stock EBC Brakes come and see. |