Something of a French theme may have been apparent on PH this week. As well as that
24-hour race
Renaultsport wildchild
, Peugeot has today confirmed a 30th Anniversary Edition 208 GTI. So far nothing more than its name and Goodwood debut have been announced but that's all the information required to celebrate the - insert superlative here - 205 GTI. It will at least alleviate the nagging doubt the 30th Anniversary 208 could just be a paint and stickers job.
Choosing a 205 GTI to feature is far more of a task than might first be imagined. The cars at
£10K and above
are surely too pristine to drive now, and what would be the point of that? Some scruffy cars at
Shed money
are around too, as well as the inevitable
MI16-engined
track crusaders. But a presentable, driveable, standard GTI would be just fine, and
this one
Is there a bad colour for a 205? Alpine White, Graphite Grey and Cherry Red are just three of the standard colours that worked so well. But the limited edition Sorrento Green and Miami Blue, the latter as seen here, are perhaps the most desirable. Everyone's harped on about it before but the 205 really is a very pretty little car. Three decades after its launch and it still looks absolutely spot on.
Restored last year and ready to be enjoyed
That impression is reinforced further by this 205's recent restoration. All panels bar the bonnet are original but refreshed, the entire shell resprayed and the wheels refurbished. Alright, the front seats are due a retrim but everywhere else the car looks like completely stunning. So there's the ideal combination of immaculate bodywork and refreshed mechanicals without the car having been overly pampered. Indeed the advert says 'I built this car to be used not to be a garage queen so at this point in time under bonnet and underside of car have not been resprayed.'
What more is there to say? One of the greatest hot hatches ever made in an ideal spec and with apparently plenty of care lavished upon it. It's taxed, the MoT is long and those 1.9 wheels must surely be available with some negotiation. Lovely.
PEUGEOT 205 GTI 1.6
Engine: 1,580cc four-cylinder
Transmission: 5-speed manual, FWD
Power (hp): 116@6,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 98@4,000rpm
MPG: 30
CO2: N/A
Recorded miles: 97,000
Year registered: 1991
Price new: £6,295 (1984)
Yours for: £4,500
See the original advert here.