Peugeot 205 Rallye -90
Discussion
Don't know if there's any interest in these cars on here, but today I picked up a -90 205 Rallye. The car har 44000km since new; it was initially registered as a display car for Peugeot Finland, and later belonged to Juha Kankkunen. It was imported into Sweden (where they were never sold as new, since the country's emissions regulations were already too strict) in 2000 and got registered through some legal wrangling. It's almost in perfect condition, excepting a small ding on the lower aspect of the passenger door. It's fantastic to drive; angry and rorty and light, with unassisted steering that nevertheless requires almost no force to move. And at anything above 20 mph, it simply sings through those Webers. I have a 1.9 GTi as well, and they're hugely different cars from behind the wheel. In the pictures it's on 106 Rallye wheels and tyres, but I have the original wheels (which need to be refurbished).
rufusgti said:
Absolutely love it.
Very rare in the uk also. Did they not have back seats or have you removed them?
Thank you, I'm obviously very fond of it. It does have back seats. They're folded down in the photo to fit the original wheels in the rear for the trip home. The car is 100% original other than the wheels and the manifold, and I have the original parts the garage. Very rare in the uk also. Did they not have back seats or have you removed them?
Yeah, it's been mollycoddled its entire life. As close to factory fresh as I think these get. Carburettors were recently adjusted by a shop with a wealth of experience adjusting Webers, and dyno'd at 103 hp immediately afterwards. It gains and sheds revs as fast as my 991 GT3. It's absolutely incredible.
That's really nice, a proper collector's item. They are very rare in the UK, less so in France. Hardly a common car anywhere. As you suggest one of the big problems is getting the carbs set up right. I didn't know they had the 1.4 out of the XS, that was a nice engine in a good car. I had a 1.4 Fiesta back in the day, should have bought the XS instead but they had sh*te wheels. Ah, youth, where have you gone?
I've had a read, wiki says the original Rallye had a bored out version of the 1.1, to 1294cc, twin Webers and a hot cam, 103PS. This wasn't sold in the UK. Later the UK got one with the 1360 from the XS and a Solex carb for 76 PS.
Given that the gti was 1600 or 1900 and 115/130 bhp iirc, the Rallye won't be as quick. I also hear from a French mate who is lucky enough to have driven one that they had to be thrashed mercilessly to get the performance and the Webers were a pig to keep in tune. It's also a safe bet that the gti with injection was better on fuel, if these things are important.
Given that the gti was 1600 or 1900 and 115/130 bhp iirc, the Rallye won't be as quick. I also hear from a French mate who is lucky enough to have driven one that they had to be thrashed mercilessly to get the performance and the Webers were a pig to keep in tune. It's also a safe bet that the gti with injection was better on fuel, if these things are important.
battered said:
I've had a read, wiki says the original Rallye had a bored out version of the 1.1, to 1294cc, twin Webers and a hot cam, 103PS. This wasn't sold in the UK. Later the UK got one with the 1360 from the XS and a Solex carb for 76 PS.
Given that the gti was 1600 or 1900 and 115/130 bhp iirc, the Rallye won't be as quick. I also hear from a French mate who is lucky enough to have driven one that they had to be thrashed mercilessly to get the performance and the Webers were a pig to keep in tune. It's also a safe bet that the gti with injection was better on fuel, if these things are important.
So, the early 1.6 GTi (which came out at a similar time to the Rallye) had 106HP, later cars had 115. The 1.9 originally had 130 which was reduced to 122 when they were catted after '91. They weighed nearly 900 kg compared to the 795 of the Rallye, so in terms of power-to-weight the Rallye and the 115 HP 1.6 GTi are identical at 131hp/tonne . The UK car had none of the more extreme weight-saving measures (all sound-proofing removed, all electrical equipment and associated wiring removed, lighter seats etc.) and is really nothing more than a slightly hotter XS, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. My GTi (gratuitous picture attached) is a late 1.9, and the Rallye feels nearly as quick, though the Rallye needs to be wrung out to nearly 7000 to make the most of it. However, since the carbureted engine is so much freer-revving, it's much easier to do so than in the GTi; I suspect if the Webers weren't tuned correctly I might have a different opinion. I know the 1.6 is supposedly zingier than the 1.9, but personal experience is that this is a myth. The weight difference certainly makes itself felt through fast transitions, but as my Rallye currently has GTi-width tyres there is no perceptible difference in ultimate cornering grip. Though my love of Peugeots only stretches from the 205 to the 306, I would love to complete my personal collection with either version of the 106 Rallye. Here in Sweden those are still trading for about £1000, which I imagine will change soon. Given that the gti was 1600 or 1900 and 115/130 bhp iirc, the Rallye won't be as quick. I also hear from a French mate who is lucky enough to have driven one that they had to be thrashed mercilessly to get the performance and the Webers were a pig to keep in tune. It's also a safe bet that the gti with injection was better on fuel, if these things are important.
"The UK car had none of the more extreme weight-saving measures (all sound-proofing removed, all electrical equipment and associated wiring removed, lighter seats etc.) and is really nothing more than a slightly hotter XS,"
An Xs would piss all over a UK Rallye. It was really just a base model with fancy paint and stickers.
An Xs would piss all over a UK Rallye. It was really just a base model with fancy paint and stickers.
Furberger said:
"The UK car had none of the more extreme weight-saving measures (all sound-proofing removed, all electrical equipment and associated wiring removed, lighter seats etc.) and is really nothing more than a slightly hotter XS,"
An Xs would piss all over a UK Rallye. It was really just a base model with fancy paint and stickers.
Correct.An Xs would piss all over a UK Rallye. It was really just a base model with fancy paint and stickers.
The UK Rallye 205 was a dud, just a Cosmetic special edition with a 75 bhp motor, not sure why the UK got such a crap version when the Euo Rallye was a proper little flying machine with over 110 bhp, low ratio box, fed with twin carb set up.
The XS was a little flier compared to the Uk Rallye. If anyone is interested in upgrading their Xs/Rallye I have a load of rare
TU3S competition parts that I am going to list in the PH classified section soon including twin 40's manifold, race engine etc,
A good/tuned 1360 is a match for a Gti 1.6 due to lower weight and low ratio gearbox.
Mine looked exactly like this and as a 18 year old I loved it. Loved to be hammered through the gears, weighed next to nothing and had no creature comforts at all. Stuck on some wheels from a 306 that where too big and scrubbed on the arches. Not the quickest car compared to the XS or GTI but handled great and was simple to fix if anything ever went wrong (which it didnt)
Sold it to a guy round the corner who removed the stickers, and put on a GTI bodykit which looked odd.
Very fond memories indeed.
I think the lhd version was always regarded as a little bit special compared to our UK models?
Lovely car.
I have a 1.9gti and a 205 Cossied 4x4 and would like to add one of these to the collection. I would be tempted to put the carbs in a box and add jenvey bodies using their lookie likey carbalikes as it would be nicer to drive and enjoy....pug would have done it had the tech been available.
Lovely car.
I have a 1.9gti and a 205 Cossied 4x4 and would like to add one of these to the collection. I would be tempted to put the carbs in a box and add jenvey bodies using their lookie likey carbalikes as it would be nicer to drive and enjoy....pug would have done it had the tech been available.
Caddyshack said:
I think the lhd version was always regarded as a little bit special compared to our UK models?
It was indeed, the differences are described above. 103 bhp plays 75ish, for a start. [quote=Caddyshack. I would be tempted to put the carbs in a box and add jenvey bodies using their lookie likey carbalikes as it would be nicer to drive and enjoy....pug would have done it had the tech been available.
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