Why 205 GTI T-shirts?
The Peugeot 205 GTI is creating a buzz in its marketing thanks to its unusual aesthetics. A boil so successful that it still pleases young people today for whom the 205 GTI remains a “stylish” car even if production stopped before their birth. It is quite incredible to see the effect that a beautiful copy parked in a street has on passers-by.
As for exterior details, a red / black contrast gives it a chic sporting spirit. Its red body is adorned with black plastic fender extensions, black stripes and bumpers with red piping. The 14-inch rims are not in sheet metal like the Golf but in aluminum, inspired by the Turbo 16, and long-range headlights are added in the front bumper. To top it off, the 1.6 and GTI logos are affixed to the rear quarter pillars. The opinions are unanimous: the French bombinette plays mechanics.
On the passenger compartment side, red predominates in the carpet and the fabric of the bucket seats, but also in the gear lever grille, the speedometer needles and the GTI logo on the steering wheel. Beyond the color, athletes appreciate the many integrated instruments such as the tachometer, the fuel gauge, the water or oil temperature.
Journalists, male and female customers alike are won over by this almost flawless Peugeot.
The history of the 205 gti
While everyone knew Peugeot was close to bankruptcy in the early 80s, the French manufacturer created a surprise by knocking down its latest card: the 205 GTI . The success of the bombinette will allow Peugeot to recover from the exhaustion of its finances due to the takeover of Citroën in 1975, Chrysler Europe in 1978, but also to the oil crisis of 1973. Discover this myth that has captured the hearts of many sports car enthusiasts and continues to turn heads.
The “holy number” of the last chance
The stroke of genius will be to succeed at the same time the launch of the versions which made dream: 205 GTI and 205 Turbo16, to launch the 205 turbo 16 in the world championship and the more common versions intended for the biggest sales.
All the ingredients of the sportswoman of the time
In 1976, Volkswagen revolutionized the world of sports cars by equipping its Golf with an injection engine. Peugeot decided to retaliate in 1983 by releasing its GTI equipped with elements specific to sports cars of the time, namely a small size, light weight and a powerful engine. On January 6, 1984, the Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6l was presented to the public.
Its 880kg coupled with the 105 hp XU5J engine, its triangulated Mac Pherson front axle and its high-level damping allow it to offer exceptional performance for the time. But also to make pale the second version of the Golf GTI, the Golf II, which has become too gentrified for some. Available in a 3-door version only, ventilated disc brakes at the front but drums at the rear, its sporty allure emphasized on the outside and inside immediately seduces the public.
The 205 GTI 1.9
And changes were not long in coming because some 2 years later, in December 1986, Peugeot provided its 205 GTI with a 1900 cm3 version of 130 hp, thus meeting the expectations of enthusiasts. From an aesthetic point of view, the difference is mainly seen at the level
- the design of the wheels, redesigned and enlarged to 15 inches,
- the quarter panel logo 1.6 replaced by 1.9,
- of the upholstery offered in semi-leather.
As for its behavior on the road, it is also a little touched up. In addition, it brakes better and longer thanks to the brake discs also installed at the rear.
The Peugeot 205 GTI has lined up at the start of many car rally races and has been a source of inspiration for many racing drivers. Many will also remember having spent their first hours of driving behind the wheel of this sporty icon. Its history makes it one of the brand’s legendary vehicles, and now ranks it as a collector’s car in the category of the best sports cars of the late 1980s.