RE: PH Heroes: Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9
Discussion
DonLogan said:
Yep a great article that's got me all misty eyed and excited enough to log in and post! 
My first 205 GTi was bought in 1997 aged 20 and funded completely by my student loan. I'd say it was the major reason I had to retake the first year! Regrets? None, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
It was a red 1986 1.6 with the shorter ratio GR1(?) gearbox which made it rocket off the line. Extremely sure planted in the corners unless of course you lost your botle and lifted off!
205 GTi is the hot hatch king IMHO which is admittedly biased. Also liked the Astra GTE 16V. Loved the grunt and the way it accelerated whilst you watched the digital dash seemingly guessing the speed... 12... 26... no, 33, hang on, 44, lets call it 52?
Don't forget the later 106GTi - so much fun that my wife and I had one each for a short time! I took mine when I went to try a new Alfa GTV - no contest! Kept it for ages!My first 205 GTi was bought in 1997 aged 20 and funded completely by my student loan. I'd say it was the major reason I had to retake the first year! Regrets? None, I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
It was a red 1986 1.6 with the shorter ratio GR1(?) gearbox which made it rocket off the line. Extremely sure planted in the corners unless of course you lost your botle and lifted off!205 GTi is the hot hatch king IMHO which is admittedly biased. Also liked the Astra GTE 16V. Loved the grunt and the way it accelerated whilst you watched the digital dash seemingly guessing the speed... 12... 26... no, 33, hang on, 44, lets call it 52?
New Scot said:
Don't forget the later 106GTi - so much fun that my wife and I had one each for a short time! I took mine when I went to try a new Alfa GTV - no contest! Kept it for ages!
Yep! Peugeot were on such a roll back then...Shame about their current line up. Can't speak for the RCZ though.
I had a 1.6 and a 1.9 over the years and they gave as much fun as anything else if not more. One of the greatest drivers cars of the century on my book.
Fabulous steering, stunning throttle response, a crisp and very eager engine, inertia free and only the slightest sense of a hollow bean can around you rather than an actual car, and big big entertainment at the limit. The Pug also never felt slow, even if you'd just stepped off a superbike, and it always half felt like it was trying to kill you.
I've driven cars costing 100 times the price of what these go for now but if you distill the essence of driving down to its objectively base level components then the Pug has all the answers and shows up 99% of cars out there.
Fabulous steering, stunning throttle response, a crisp and very eager engine, inertia free and only the slightest sense of a hollow bean can around you rather than an actual car, and big big entertainment at the limit. The Pug also never felt slow, even if you'd just stepped off a superbike, and it always half felt like it was trying to kill you.
I've driven cars costing 100 times the price of what these go for now but if you distill the essence of driving down to its objectively base level components then the Pug has all the answers and shows up 99% of cars out there.
Edited by jackal on Tuesday 29th March 14:43
Had a phase 2 5GTT (120bhp); very last production run phase 2 205 GTI 1.9 CAT (122bhp); phase 1 Clio 16V (137bhp).
All were great little cars.
R5 defo had the most exciting power delivery (turbo) and felt 'kartlike'. As evo said: feels like all its weight is below your hips.
Pug was a hooligan - like the oft quoted 'over excited terrier on a leash'.
Clio had an insatiable appetite for revs (16V) once you got it going - good top end.
Pug I'd say was the quickest to pedal point to point -- mate in his Elise had trouble catching, let alone keeping up. But that's the beauty of a well sorted FWD car - throw it into bends and not worry about it. (Did have to fit Spax adj. shox to sort the liftoff roll oversteer though. Prior to that, spun it twice - at least to 180deg.!
Oh, and there were these colours for the Pug GTIs:-
Red
Black
Charcoal grey
White
Miami Blue
Sorrento Green
All were great little cars.
R5 defo had the most exciting power delivery (turbo) and felt 'kartlike'. As evo said: feels like all its weight is below your hips.
Pug was a hooligan - like the oft quoted 'over excited terrier on a leash'.
Clio had an insatiable appetite for revs (16V) once you got it going - good top end.
Pug I'd say was the quickest to pedal point to point -- mate in his Elise had trouble catching, let alone keeping up. But that's the beauty of a well sorted FWD car - throw it into bends and not worry about it. (Did have to fit Spax adj. shox to sort the liftoff roll oversteer though. Prior to that, spun it twice - at least to 180deg.!
Oh, and there were these colours for the Pug GTIs:-
Red
Black
Charcoal grey
White
Miami Blue
Sorrento Green
Edited by joz8968 on Tuesday 29th March 15:14
jackal said:
I had a 1.6 and a 1.9 over the years and they gave as much fun as anything else if not more. One of the greatest drivers cars of the century on my book.
Fabulous steering, stunning throttle response, a crisp and very eager engine, inertia free and only the slightest sense of a hollow bean can around you rather than an actual car, and big big entertainment at the limit. The Pug also never felt slow, even if you'd just stepped off a superbike, and it always half felt like it was trying to kill you.
I've driven cars costing 100 times the price of what these go for now but if you distill the essence of driving down to its objectively base level components then the Pug has all the answers and shows up 99% of cars out there.
Amen to that.Fabulous steering, stunning throttle response, a crisp and very eager engine, inertia free and only the slightest sense of a hollow bean can around you rather than an actual car, and big big entertainment at the limit. The Pug also never felt slow, even if you'd just stepped off a superbike, and it always half felt like it was trying to kill you.
I've driven cars costing 100 times the price of what these go for now but if you distill the essence of driving down to its objectively base level components then the Pug has all the answers and shows up 99% of cars out there.
If ever a car could be described as "being on speed" (pardon the pun), then it surely has to be the 205 GTI 1.9! lol
Edited by joz8968 on Tuesday 29th March 15:24
joz8968 said:
Oh, and there were these colours for the Pug:-
Red
Black
Charcoal grey
White
Miami Blue
Sorrento Green
Lhasa Green? I'm sure there was a Lhasa Green too.Red
Black
Charcoal grey
White
Miami Blue
Sorrento Green
Edited by joz8968 on Tuesday 29th March 14:47
I googled just before submitting this and google shows it to be a VW colour, but I'm sure Pugeot did it too. It was a very light metallic, nearly mint green.
I remember it because I thought it was a bit girly at the time.
Also, wasn't the black a flat black and the metallic one was a special edition? MTV or Radio one or something like that?
EDIT - Ok, so it was laser green.
and I was right there was a black limited edition called 1FM for the 25th birthday of Radio 1.
Edited by Galaxy Bob on Tuesday 29th March 14:58
Galaxy Bob said:
Lhasa Green? I'm sure there was a Lhasa Green too.
I googled just before submitting this and google shows it to be a VW colour, but I'm sure Pugeot did it too. It was a very light metallic, nearly mint green.
I remember it because I thought it was a bit girly at the time.
Also, wasn't the black a flat black and the metallic one was a special edition? MTV or Radio one or something like that?
Laser green. V nice colour too. Lhasa green was for Mk1 Golf GTIs, nicest colour along with helios blue.I googled just before submitting this and google shows it to be a VW colour, but I'm sure Pugeot did it too. It was a very light metallic, nearly mint green.
I remember it because I thought it was a bit girly at the time.
Also, wasn't the black a flat black and the metallic one was a special edition? MTV or Radio one or something like that?
Galaxy Bob said:
Lhasa Green? I'm sure there was a Lhasa Green too.
I googled just before submitting this and google shows it to be a VW colour, but I'm sure Pugeot did it too. It was a very light metallic, nearly mint green.
I remember it because I thought it was a bit girly at the time.
Yeah, I think there was...I googled just before submitting this and google shows it to be a VW colour, but I'm sure Pugeot did it too. It was a very light metallic, nearly mint green.
I remember it because I thought it was a bit girly at the time.
gforceg said:
...Laser green. V nice colour too...
Laser Green does indeed ring a bell. Bit too 'minty' for me lol.Galaxy Bob said:
Also, wasn't the black a flat black and the metallic one was a special edition? MTV or Radio one or something like that?
Not sure.The Charcoal Grey also looked like black - very dark it was.
Edited by joz8968 on Tuesday 29th March 15:19
Galaxy Bob said:
joz8968 said:
Oh, and there were these colours for the Pug:-
Red
Black
Charcoal grey
White
Miami Blue
Sorrento Green
Lhasa Green? I'm sure there was a Lhasa Green too.Red
Black
Charcoal grey
White
Miami Blue
Sorrento Green
Edited by joz8968 on Tuesday 29th March 14:47
I googled just before submitting this and google shows it to be a VW colour, but I'm sure Pugeot did it too. It was a very light metallic, nearly mint green.
I remember it because I thought it was a bit girly at the time.
Also, wasn't the black a flat black and the metallic one was a special edition? MTV or Radio one or something like that?
Motorrad said:
Ever driven one? Unassisted steering and razor sharp throttle response along with lightweight and lift off, on demand oversteer. How anyone wouldn't like that is beyond me.
It's also a practical every day car- loaded mine with building materials when I was doing up my house more than once.
Maybe I need to try one. Although I've driven a fair mix of cars and it would need to be sensational and a huge step up from anything else comparable to truly impress, which I doubt it would be. Had a couple of 106's though. It's also a practical every day car- loaded mine with building materials when I was doing up my house more than once.
300bhp/ton said:
Maybe I need to try one. Although I've driven a fair mix of cars and it would need to be sensational and a huge step up from anything else comparable to truly impress, which I doubt it would be. Had a couple of 106's though.
Thing is, 25 odd years on, we've all now been 'corrupted' by 'big' power. 
So, even if you did, you might well now be underwhelmed. You'd have to go in with your "80s hot hatch" head on.... Edited by joz8968 on Tuesday 29th March 15:09
anything fast said:
geeteeaye said:
I often wonder what happened to my old black 1.9 GTi (E494 KHV). T'was my second car at a mere 18 years of age - having just stepped up from a 1982 1.0L Mini - and it was brilliant! By the time it was sold on 3.5 years later, I'd blown the head gasket, then had it rebuilt with uprated cam and ported head, along with K&N filter and full Magnex exhaust. Full Koni suspension kit and front strut brace completed the car. It got me through Uni with minimal problems and provided plenty of smiles in-between.
It is much missed
It is much missed
300bhp/ton said:
Maybe I need to try one. Although I've driven a fair mix of cars and it would need to be sensational and a huge step up from anything else comparable to truly impress, which I doubt it would be. Had a couple of 106's though.
I have to say, thing I like most about the 205 is that you do not have to be going mega quick to have fun... When we did the 207 gti vs 205 gti article my coleague first wondered what all the fuss is about, as he was following me no problem in the 207... however, when he got behind the wheel of the 205 he got it mega sideways after 3 corners, and continued to do so.. 
finally figured what it's about...also, a mate has a meticulously restored 205 with 1.9 mi16 engine and 309 gti suspension... now, that is one sorted fast car..
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