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Photo of a Peugeot 205

Peugeot 205

Peugeot's comeback: 5,278,300 built, with WRC title doubles for the T16 in 1985 and 1986.12

Researched October 30, 2026 from 33 sources

Also called

  • Sacré NuméroFrench epithet also used as a trim name.3

At a glance

0100200
43–197 hpPower
01020
7.8–15.1 s0–100 km/h
0125250
137–206 km/hTop speed
0150300
69–255 N·mTorque
05001,000
740–980 kgWeight

The coral arc spans the family, from its mildest version to its wildest.145

Engine
0.954–1.905 L gas I4s; 1.769/1.905 L diesels; T16: 1.775 L turbo I445
Layout
Front engine, FWD; T16: mid-engine, 4WD4
Gearbox
4/5-speed manual; 4-speed ZF automatic4
Built at
Mulhouse (France), Madrid (Spain), Los Andes (Chile); other overseas plants4
Units built
5,278,300 total; 200 Turbo 16 road homologation cars15

The story

Developed as Project M24 to replace the 104 and Talbot Samba, the 205 helped rescue Peugeot's finances. Its torsion-bar rear suspension left a broad, flat trunk; the T16 put a turbo engine where the rear seats would be and drove all four wheels.145

1983: Five doors first, diesel by September19831984: GTI injection and 200 Turbo 16 road cars19841985: A million built; first WRC title double19851986: 1.9 GTI and Pininfarina cabriolets19861987: TU engines replace the 104's X-series19871988: 102-hp Rallye built for homologation19881990: D Turbo arrives; Griffe goes Fluorite19901998: Production ends after 5,278,300 cars1998 Peugeot 104: 1972–1988Peugeot 104Talbot Samba: 1981–1986Peugeot 205: 1983–1998Peugeot 205Peugeot 106: 1991–Peugeot 106Peugeot 206: 1998–Peugeot 206 19801990200020102020
GenerationsBefore and afterMilestones142223
Show the numbers
YearWhat happened
1972–1988Peugeot 104
1981–1986Talbot Samba
1983–1998Peugeot 205
1991–Peugeot 106
1998–Peugeot 206
1983Five doors first, diesel by September
1984GTI injection and 200 Turbo 16 road cars
1985A million built; first WRC title double
19861.9 GTI and Pininfarina cabriolets
1987TU engines replace the 104's X-series
1988102-hp Rallye built for homologation
1990D Turbo arrives; Griffe goes Fluorite
1998Production ends after 5,278,300 cars
  1. 1983

    Five doors first, diesel by September

    Five doors and five trims arrived on February 24. September's 1.8-liter diesels paired 59 hp with 3.9 L/100 km.134

  2. 1984

    GTI injection and 200 Turbo 16 road cars

    The 104-hp 1.6 GTI brought fuel injection; 200 Turbo 16 road cars were built for Group B homologation.1456

  3. 1985

    A million built; first WRC title double

    The millionth 205 left Mulhouse on December 9. Timo Salonen and the T16 secured the WRC drivers' and manufacturers' titles.23

  4. 1986

    1.9 GTI and Pininfarina cabriolets

    Late in 1986, the 1.9 GTI joined the range. March had already brought the Pininfarina-developed CT and CTI cabriolets.17

  5. 1987

    TU engines replace the 104's X-series

    For the 1988 model year, TU gasoline engines replaced the 104-derived X-series; the dashboard was redesigned and fuel consumption fell.18

  6. 1988

    102-hp Rallye built for homologation

    The twin-Weber 1.3 Rallye targeted sub-1300cc competition; Kankkunen won the Dakar in a T16 Grand Raid.19

  7. 1990

    D Turbo arrives; Griffe goes Fluorite

    The 1.8 D Turbo debuted with 77 hp; the Fluorite Green Griffe appeared at the Paris show before a 1,652-car run for 1991.110

  8. 1998

    Production ends after 5,278,300 cars

    The 206 took over as production stopped on December 31. Final Génération cars were sold in January 1999.1

Every generation

  • Peugeot 104
    Peugeot 1041972–1988
  • Talbot Samba
    Talbot Samba1981–1986
  • Peugeot 205
    Peugeot 2051983–1998
  • Peugeot 106
    Peugeot 106
  • Peugeot 206
    Peugeot 206

Power over the years

From 59 hp to 197 hp in 1 year.

050100150200 1982198419861988199019921994 hp 1983 · 59 hp · GLD/GRD/SRD 1.8 diesel1984 · 104 hp · GTI 1.61984 · 197 hp · Turbo 16 road homologation1986 · 113 hp · GTI 1.6, revised head and cam1986 · 128 hp · GTI 1.91990 · 77 hp · D Turbo 1.81993 · 120 hp · GTI 1.9, catalytic converter 197 hp Turbo 16 road homologation 59 hp GLD/GRD/SRD 1.8 diesel
134561112
Show the numbers
YearHorsepowerModel
198359GLD/GRD/SRD 1.8 diesel
1984104GTI 1.6
1984197Turbo 16 road homologation
1986113GTI 1.6, revised head and cam
1986128GTI 1.9
199077D Turbo 1.8
1993120GTI 1.9, catalytic converter

Versions

10 versions worth knowing, with their power.

  • GE/GL/GR/SR / XE/XL/XR / Automatic

    Standard

    GE/GL/GR/SR / XE/XL/XR / Automatic

  • Junior

    Standard

    Junior

    1986–1994

  • GT / XT / XS

    Performance

    GT / XT / XS

    1983–1993

  • CT / CTI / CJ / Cabriolet

    Standard

    CT / CTI / CJ / Cabriolet

    1986–1995

  • GTI 1.6 / 1.9

    Performance

    GTI 1.6 / 1.9

    1984–1994

  • Gentry

    Special

    Gentry

    1991–1994

  • Lacoste / Roland-Garros / Green / Indiana / Zenith

    Special

    Lacoste / Roland-Garros / Green / Indiana / Zenith

  • Limited

    GTI Special Edition (UK)

    1990

    1,200 built

  • Turbo 16

    Racing

    Turbo 16

    197 hp

    200 built

  • Limited

    GTI 1FM

    1992

    25 built

How to spot one

Look for

  • Sloped-back nose with grille slats painted to match the body.14
  • On three-door models, the rear side window ends in a vertical edge.14
  • Curving, compact bodywork contrasts with the Golf's sharper, folded-paper lines.14

Year by year

  1. 1984 (1985 model year)

    Three-door hatchbacks joined the five-door range, using X trim names.3

  2. July 1987 / 1988 model year

    New dashboard and reshaped mirrors; GTI heater controls changed from sliders to rotary knobs, marking Phase 1.5.3412

  3. July 1990 (1991 model year)

    Phase 1's orange indicators became clear; Phase 2 brought smoked rear lamps, with the reversing light moving down to the bumper.1312

  4. July 1995

    Front fenders gained side turn-signal repeaters.3

  5. Late 1996

    Génération replaced Sacré Numéro, losing the sporty front apron and gaining blue velour trim and a domed steering wheel.1

Don’t confuse it with

  • Photo of a Peugeot 205
    205
    Photo of a Golf GTI Mk1
    Golf GTI Mk1

    Golf GTI Mk1

    The Golf has crisper, more angular lines; the 205 is curvier and more compact.14

  • 205 GTI DIMMA

    Wide arches echo the Turbo 16; most DIMMAs keep a front engine and front-wheel drive, while the T16 is mid-engined with four-wheel drive.20

  • UK 205 Rallye

    The 1992 UK car is a 75 hp 1.4-liter XT derivative with right-hand drive; the 1.3-liter homologation Rallye is left-hand drive.921

Against its rivals

Prices

Value today $7.8K–$39.0K11

Price when newAuction saleValue todayPrices on a log scale
$1K$10K$100K$1M 1990200020102020 Value today: $7,800–$39,000 1984 · $8,370 · UK GTI 1.6, approx. period USD1986 · $6,770 · France Junior, approx. period USD1988 · $17,680 · UK GTI 1.9, approx. period USD1992 · $20,020 · UK GTI, approx. period USD1992 · $29,920 · UK GTI 1FM, approx. period USD 2014 · $258,700 · 1984 Turbo 16, 1,700 km; approx. USD, London2019 · $54,800 · 1991 Griffe; approx. USD, Artcurial2023 · $255,016 · 1984 Turbo 16 PTS Clubman, 16k km, BaT2025 · $32,000 · 1988 Green Edition, 68 km, BaT2025 · $9,932 · 1991 GTi 1.6, 87,095 miles indicated, Bonhams|Cars Online2025 · $368,000 · 1985 Turbo 16, 3,216 km shown, The Quail Auction2025 · $30,000 · 1991 Rallye 1.3L, 131k km shown, BaT2026 · $13,750 · 1991 CTI, 73k miles, BaT $368.0K The Quail Auction, 2025
135101113171819313233
Show the numbers
YearPriceAmountDetail
1984Price when new$8,370UK GTI 1.6, approx. period USD
1986Price when new$6,770France Junior, approx. period USD
1988Price when new$17,680UK GTI 1.9, approx. period USD
1992Price when new$20,020UK GTI, approx. period USD
1992Price when new$29,920UK GTI 1FM, approx. period USD
2014Auction sale$258,7001984 Turbo 16, 1,700 km; approx. USD, London
2019Auction sale$54,8001991 Griffe; approx. USD, Artcurial
2023Auction sale$255,0161984 Turbo 16 PTS Clubman, 16k km, BaT
2025Auction sale$32,0001988 Green Edition, 68 km, BaT
2025Auction sale$9,9321991 GTi 1.6, 87,095 miles indicated, Bonhams|Cars Online
2025Auction sale$368,0001985 Turbo 16, 3,216 km shown, The Quail Auction
2025Auction sale$30,0001991 Rallye 1.3L, 131k km shown, BaT
2026Auction sale$13,7501991 CTI, 73k miles, BaT
2026Value today$7,800–$39,000

The rest of the story is in the app

The full file tells why each version matters, the legend behind the car and what to check before buying one.

  • Versions

    • Why each of the 10 versions matters

  • Legend

    • 14 stories from its legend
    • “1985 and 1986: both WRC crowns”
    • “Alén's world title lasted 11 days”

  • Generations

    • The story of each of the 5 generations

  • Market

    • 6 things to check before buying one
    • Where prices are heading, and why
Read the full file in SPOT

SPOT is free on iPhone. Full car files come with SPOT Plus.

Sources

Every fact on this page links to the source it rests on.

See all 33 sources
  1. Peugeot 205 — Wikipédia fr.wikipedia.org
  2. Peugeot Sport peugeot-sport.com
  3. Peugeot 205 : GR ou GTI, la saga du sacré numéro qui a sauvé le Lion - Page 2 caradisiac.com
  4. Peugeot 205 - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  5. 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 | London 2014 | RM Sotheby's rmsothebys.com
  6. The Peugeot 205 GTI Buying Guide - ‘80s hot hatch perfection classic-trader.com
  7. Peugeot 205 Cabriolet (1986 – 1995), un charme étonnamment accessible, dès 4 500 € caradisiac.com
  8. Peugeot 205 GT/XT/XS (1983-1993) : presque aussi nerveuses que des GTI, à partir de 3 000 € caradisiac.com
  9. Peugeot 205 Rallye (1988 - 1992): a featherweight homologation hatch | evo evo.co.uk
  10. La Peugeot 205 Griffe devait fêter ses 30 ans au Mondial de l'Auto - L'argus largus.fr
  11. Peugeot 205 GTI (1984 - 1995) review – who needs the original VW Golf GTI? | evo evo.co.uk
  12. Peugeot 205 - Goodwood Classic Solutions insurance.goodwood.com
  13. 1991 Peugeot 205 CTI 1.6L 5-Speed for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $13,750 on January 23, 2026 (Lot #227,475) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  14. Peugeot 205 GTI vs VW Golf GTI mk1 – hot-hatch showdown - Octane Magazine octane-magazine.com
  15. Peugeot 205 Gentry (1991 – 1994), la GTI de luxe, dès 13 000 € caradisiac.com
  16. 40 ans de Peugeot 205 : la reine des séries spéciales - L'argus largus.fr
  17. No Reserve: 68-Kilometer 1988 Peugeot 205 Green Edition 5-Speed for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $32,000 on January 22, 2025 (Lot #177,998) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  18. Peugeot 205 GTI 1FM. A bord de la plus rare des 205 GTI - L'argus largus.fr
  19. 16k-Kilometer 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 PTS Clubman for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $255,016 on November 8, 2023 (Lot #126,302) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  20. Peugeot 205 GTI DIMMA Guide: History, Identification & Buying Advice - Unusual Cars UK unusualcars.co.uk
  21. 1988 Peugeot 205 Rallye review: Retro Road Test retromotor.co.uk
  22. Peugeot 104 - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  23. Talbot Samba - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org
  24. Non, la Peugeot 205 n’est pas vraiment l’œuvre de Gérard Welter… caradisiac.com
  25. Adamo’s Rally Italy reflections part two – 1986 – DirtFish dirtfish.com
  26. Peugeot 205 T16 'Pikes Peak' Guide — Supercar Nostalgia supercarnostalgia.com
  27. IGCD.net - Internet Game Cars Database igcd.net
  28. Tolman Peugeot 205 GTI 2022 review | evo evo.co.uk
  29. 1994 PEUGEOT 205 1.1 JUNIOR | Sat 6th & Sun 7th April | Anglia Car Auctions angliacarauctions.co.uk
  30. Peugeot 205 GTI: Review, buyer's guide and prices | Car Bore carbore.co.uk
  31. Bonhams Cars : 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 VIN. VF3741R76E5100127 carsd.bonhams.com
  32. 1991 Peugeot 205 GTi 1.6 For Sale by Auction themarket.co.uk
  33. 1991 Peugeot 205 Rallye 1.3L for sale on BaT Auctions - sold for $30,000 on March 17, 2025 (Lot #183,887) | Bring a Trailer bringatrailer.com
  • fr.wikipedia.org
  • peugeot-sport.com
  • caradisiac.com
  • en.wikipedia.org
  • rmsothebys.com
  • classic-trader.com
  • evo.co.uk
  • largus.fr
  • insurance.goodwood.com
  • bringatrailer.com
  • octane-magazine.com
  • unusualcars.co.uk
  • retromotor.co.uk
  • dirtfish.com

Photo credits

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