*FIRST DRIVE* Peugeot 205 GTi - Should you meet your heroes ?! 

The Peugeot 205 GTI and the Renault 5 are truly lovely cars. No doubt about it. Real classics.

I have the same thing with the Fiat Uno Turbo ie Mark 1 - had one when I was 22, I'm 56 now and I stillthink it was the best car I've ever owned. Also drove a 309 GTI for a while, which was utterly amazing. They don't make 'em like that anymore...

Morning Pete.... oh boy, this bought back some memories... 1989. I was an impressionable 23 year old and I was given one of these as a company car after winning top company salesman of the year 2 years running. 1.6 ... jet black... Luther Vandross on the stereo.. a beautiful girl in the passenger seat... long summer nights in a country pub with mates... burning off anything that fancied a race... no mortgage..no kids.. all my earnings was disposable income... petrol price about £1.50 a gallon.. my poor poor parents telling me every day to grow up... me telling them to get a life and not be so square in my skinny jeans and very stylish haircut.. 🤪 Can you test drive a time machine next please? I would love to go back, just for a day...

This car has an authentic 'pearl' effect. It has the ability to stand out between modern sport cars as if they were a bunch of oysters. It still looks stunningly good!

I had a red 1.9 as my first car back in 1999, paid £1300 for it. Absolutely fantastic little car, I've never known a car that hates being in traffic so much as it just wanted to "go" all the time. Really great video, thanks for the memories.

Dad brought a red Peugeot 205 Gti back in '88. To a 10 yr old it was like a spaceship.

I had a 1.9 205 GTI 1990 Red on a H reg with the new back lights on them, i had it for 5 and a half years from 20 to nearly 26 , I'm 46 now, mine was absolutely mint when i sold it, i only sold it because we had a kid and couldn't get a car seat in it and pushchair, i had to sell it 😫 , it was the time when insurance costs were sky high because of cosworths getting stolen etc, i had it on AutoTrader for weeks with no phone calls, it was totally unmodified mint and i sold it to a local car garage for £800 😢 and to be honest the bloke didn't really want it as he said people don't want them due to high insurance cost etc, Omg i wish i still had it now it would be worth thousands, i loved that car a true B road machine great handling, lift off oversteer, great great car, i have 5 kids now but have a z4 coupe for the weekend's and I'm going to keep it due to prices going up and up, but do miss the raw driving experience of my 1.9 205 GTI ... Engines were strong never any had any issues but i blew 4 gearboxes and 2 back axles broke in nearly 6 years i drove it , weak gearboxes and suspension components, but everything else was fine. Still was excellent condition..

Lovely car , I have owned one since 1990. My first was a 1987 1.9 , which got stolen and was used by some burglers. I had it returned , damaged , buying it back from the insurance company. It still had some of the tools inside, used by those who stole it and I had to collect the interior from the police station. Eventually got it going again and few years later sold it to Just GTI's for £100. Yes 100. Had a Miami Blue limited edition 1.9 for last 12 years . So good . Thank you for this review .

Thanks... petrol ped Very much enjoyed this i was a 1.9 Gti pug owner back in the late 80s i absolutely loved that car i must admit didn't expect the £22k price tag 😳

Wow! Your video took me straight back to 6 Aug 1986 when I collected my brand new 205GTi 1.6 and 115bhp. It was one of the first 115bhp models as on launch they had 105bhp. Oh it was fabulous and was in Alpine White. All the black and red on the bodywork stood out so well. It drove so well. I ran it in for 2000 miles then changed the oil for some new stuff ... Mobil1 and then floored it! It went like a bullet ( coming from a Ford Fiesta 1100). I have some pictures somewhere which I shall try and fwd to you. Thanks for the memory👍

Use to work for autoglass..had a 205 GTi..had to hide at work so my mum didn't see it.....1900...,. enough said...what a car ... It was driven like a bat out of hell

I had a 205 GTi 1.9 1991 in red... What a rocket... I miss this little devil😏

I had a 205 GTi 1.6 for 6 years (94 to 2000).....loved it....wish I'd have kept it now. Currently own a 208 GTi, she gives me the same kind of buzz to drive. Great review.

Yes "analogue" is an insightful word to use for the Pug. I bought a new 1.6 GTI in '88. It had a tactile fluidity that spoke to the driver. It didn't try to wrestle the laws of physics; it danced with them. Peugeot chassis had a bit of 'give' in them that supplied the feel and communicated to the driver what was happening to the wheels on the road. The torque steer could be forgiven as it was only evident in town but in the lanes it was forgotten. I fell in love with my Alfasud but the Pug was better in bed!

Great video! Can see you enjoyed the whole time driving that 205! I can relate.. when I was a kid (I'm 37) this was one of my favourite cars. Two years ago I bought and fully restored a french XS, and believe me every time I get in I travel back with that nice smell, that seats, that everything analog feeling. Sometimes I just sit there and feel happy. Only drove it 2000 miles in two years but enjoyed every second. I also own a modern SUV so driving this feels like a go-kart!

Having learnt to drive in a 205, and wanted to drive one for so long, it would be just wrong if you didn't become a 205GTi owner. That look of delight on your face says it all about why we're car enthusiasts. It's what it's all about, and a car doesn't have to shred the tarmac to give you a thrill. I've always loved the 205 GTI, and I loved your review. Fantastic

So great that you were able to feature this car on the channel. I've had the good fortune to drive a GTI twice (both were the 1.9) and it was such a memorable experience. A true hot hatch legend!

You’re enthusiasm for the car is infectious!

Bloody awesome Peter! When I was stationed in Germany as a whipper snapper Gunner my friend had a 1.6 GTI with a Janspeed exhaust. I drove it back to the UK from Dortmund and it was so much fun. There were 1.9 GTI’s on camp as well as RS Turbos, early XR2’s, XR3’s. It was an amazing time for me and it’s what gave me my passion for cars. The autobahn at 18 was just a car playground lol

I had one of these in 1994, in the same colour. I was the envy of all my friends at the time. I still remember how excited I was at the time when I went to collect it! Passed my test in 89 aswell👍

Great review Pete, I miss my old 205 gti's, always felt special owning one especially when you were only 20 at the time!

Had one of those back in 1995, had so much fun in it! Being a 20 something, drove that thing absolutely flat out every day.. loved it!

I owned the 309 gti , it was the most fun car I’ve owned, I’ve been through about 20 different cars including Alfa’s but I always remember the Peugeot as my favourite, a proper go cart of a car without all the sensors and nonsense gadgets of today’s motors,loved that car

You never stopped smiling from start to finish of this episode, I am reminded of the feeling you described at driving the Peugeot that I felt in my first car a Triumph Herald 1200 its magic isn`t it!!! Kinda brought it all back so glad you did something on your bucket list Pete.

How did I miss this one!? Extremely watchable, informative and above all, entertaining. 10/10

Cracking review as always, P! I remember owning a 405 SRi, with the same powertrain as the 1.9GTi, and that was a fantastic driver's car, despite the extra weight - it would go into corners at almost any speed and just hang on and on and on. Forget Ferraris and Lambos, if I ever win millions on the lottery, my first automotive purchase would be a well-sorted 205GTi, without any doubt, whatsoever. Keep the great reviews coming!

Love the vid. I’ve been driving 30 years now and I’ve only been without a 205 gti for 8 of them. Nothing compares, you just feel part of the machine.

What a era, eighties. Hot hatches, golf gti , 205 gti, Astra gte , Ford xri’s great fun . Start of fuel injection .A working man affordable fun. Well done ped for the memories

Really lusted after one of them when I was in my early 20’s. You looked thrilled to be behind the wheel mate, great to see. 👍🏻

Amazing, I passed my test in 1987 in a diesel 205, brings back great memories, thanks for this👍👍

Pete's getting his miles for smiles i passed my test in 1987 in a fiesta 1600 diesal i drove a 1.6gti years ago n loved it great video ped memories

Great to see you back doing what you do best. Not that the lockdown stuff wasn't good, but reviewing cars is what it's all about! :)

Wow! What a memory inducer. I had the 1.6 version and loved it. After serious head gasket problems it went to the scrappy. I thoroughly enjoyed it for 7 years though. Was a great hot hatch at the time!

That brings back a lot of memories! Learned to drive in 1983, I was a Ford boy at this stage but secretly lusted after a 205 GTi.

My friend had a red 205 1.9 GTI. It was by far my favourite car of the time I absolutely loved going in that car. I always wanted one but sadly couldn’t afford one. Looking back you can clearly see it was ahead of its time.

That interior feels like home, I spent so much time in the passenger seat of my mates 205 GTI's, he went through a spell of to buying them, drive them for a while then sell it to buy one of the other colours

love this video, thanks for the memories, I've posted a video, cine film, of my exploits in the '80's I'm the guy with long blond hair with the RS Turbo, they were wonderful days, North Wales was the race track and all my mates had hot hatches, thankfully we all survived.

Hi Pete! I passed my test in December 1983, on the day before my birthday (24th) and wanted a Mk.2 Ford Capri (which I never got, my first car being a 1.3L Vauxhall Cavalier!). My tastes subsequently changed and then the car I really, really wanted was an Opel Manta GTE coupe. Then once I got into rallying, the car of my dreams became an Opel Manta 400. I’d still love one... Oh and an MG Metro 6R4 (International spec). That Pug looks well tasty. Well done for getting a try of the old girl. More like this, please! Memories! Best wishes from the Wirral, as ever.

I had a 1.6 - same colour. in the late 1980s. It was one of the best cars I have ever had. King of the B roads. Go kart feel -- like Minis were and still are. The point about light and glass area is very interesting. Thanks for yet another excellent and gimmick free video.

So glad you got to drive one. They remain one of the most involving cars I've ever owned. This car still looks beautiful.

Great video again. Although nowhere near as quick I had an AX GT. very light and so much fun. This took me right back to those times.

This brings back so many memories. I owned a 1.9 in 1993, G reg and loved it. I was never blown away by the handling, it was super twitchy when you lifted off 😃 It would be so good if you ever managed to drive other classics like the Renault 16v (valver) and the Integra Type R and did a vid on them. Here’s hoping 👍

Push it to the limit in the corners and you will see that it's still about performance and fun... I had the huge privilege to learn driving on a 205 gti 1.6 in 1991 as my first car. Damn this was an awesome driving teacher and companion! Every day I regret having sold it :-(

Lovely wee Pug ! No fancy electronics, sensors,ecu,abs etc A car you can repair without a diagnostic tool! Brilliant. I passed my test in a mini metro , could never afford the 205 so my first car was a Marina !

My first car was a second hand Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6 in 1990 ... a proper rocket ... drove it from Geneva to St Tropez on the Route Napoleon and a year later from Geneva to Vienna ... epic road trips !

I have to say that this was an absolutely outstanding review and video. For 4 years I have had a 1.9 sitting in storage that I picked up very cheaply considering selling it. But now I know I will never sell it. You relay the experience of driving it very well. Thanks.

I would feel the same. Had a 1.6 & it's still the most enjoyable car I've ever driven & I've always wanted another. I used to thrash the b....cks off it & the handling was sublime. I'd get home & just stand there looking at it for ages amazed at how good it was. Light, simple, beautifully tuned & drop dead gorgeous. A mate of mine was equally as hooked & still has a 1.9. I remember him telling me to avoid the later versions with catalytic convertors which hit performance.

Thank you thank you. Watched with a broad grin, reliving some very special memories of the 1.9 GTI. I was given one to look after and drive as much as I wanted for six weeks back in 1986. I didn't have the money to buy one afterwards, but did scrape the necessary together to buy a new 205 XS which I still think was one of the most enjoyable cars I've ever owned.

I had 1986 205 GTI 1.6..YOUR BRINGING RIGHT BACK TO THEM TIMES ..TK U,..

Honestly, watching that brought tears to my eyes Peter. What car, what a game changer, what memories and what a key point in my life. Brilliant review. Thanks mate. 👍👌🎯

Just look at your face def smiles per mile there i had a 205 gti brings back so many memories eventauly i went landscape gardening with mine and wrote it off they joys of being youngish lol

I owned a red one for 12 years. Mine had AC and power steering. I miss it every single day.

PP I passed my test in 1960 in my pride and joy a Morgan 44 it was a real head turner, it only had a Ford 100E side valve engine tuned by Aquaplane it would go like a rocket. If ever you can get your hands on one of these to test drive I would do would be your friend for life. Keep up the good work!

I have a Peugeot 207cc, lovely car. 205 is one of the best cars ever made.....blows a Golf into the weeds. My mum, dad, sister, myself all have a Peugeot, they are just nice.

My mate was killed in a 1.9gti people used to say they were too fast for there own good back in the day he was the passenger. That's a nice example but a hard watch indeed. Keep up the good work mate

I had an XR2 and then a Renault 5 Turbo in the 80's. I loved the XR2 for the twisties but the Renault was in another world for getting on the up ramp on the M1 and then flooring it. It felt like a rocket ship.

Pete this brings back memories in 1990 I had a Renault 5 GT turbo Raider blue it was rapid back then be great if you could find one to test drive

You’re right Pete, don’t ever have a big accident in one of these. Had a 1.9 in Miami Blue back in ‘93, but sadly wrote it off after losing the rear one night and rammed straight into a tree with almost fatal consequences. Still loved the car despite this, and like you put a big smile on my face when driving it.

Had one, also had a Mk1 Golf Gti. The cars I always get misty eyed over!

Love the 80's, love hot hatches.......!!! Takes me back to my own 80's hot hatch an 85 XR3i..... I loved that car....... Loved the video Pete.... More please.....!!!

Cracking videos of late. Loving the vintage 80s/90s contest. Passion & enthusiasm really shines through. Keep up the excellent work. 👍😀 Have a 2013 RS5 cab which I love (kids fit in back, decent boot & 4WD for winter), however, do very little miles during a typical week/month so all the local short journeys in a V8 are returning approx 16mpg. Thinking about getting rid & picking up an GTI mk2 / XR2i / 205 / 306 gti6 for budget £6 to £12k ish as a more economical runaround. But then the sun comes out & a rumbling V8 with the roof down is hard to beat!!!

My 1990 pre-cat 309gti is the one thing getting me through lockdown. That and the MC Hammer casette inside it's clarion headunit. It's like a magnet wherever I go, people wave and thumbs up, stop me at traffic lights and petrol stations to chat. Yes the interior rattles away and you have to shout to your passengers (there's no sound insulation under carpets) but it drives sublimely and handles like it's on rails. At around 900kg it simply boils down to weight which you cannot avoid in a bloated modern car.

I currently own a 2000 reg Pug 306 HDi.. had it for just over a year now as a daily. Bought it for £1500 with only 30k miles. One of the best all round cars I have owned. At 20 years old thats something special. Incredible fuel economy. Enough power to overtake confidently. Fun in the twisty stuff. I'm sure I will keep hold of her for many years to come. Great video Ped, Love the 205 GTi. Can't beat a classic hot hatch 👌🏻

Oh boy this brings back memories😁 I had the 1.9gti back in the eighties, also with no power steering or air con. That got chopped in for a 405Sri because I needed a bigger car. Final Frenchmen was a white Citroen BX19 Gti. Such happy days. Thanks for bringing it all back👍

Nostalgia is simply priceless, can’t escape the vehicles of our era of being interested into the wheeled money takers lol.

That radiated through the screen! Fantastic...wish I could re-drive my "dream" car ..my little subaru XT (that sadly fell apart quickly) - I have dreamt of it over the years. Would be fun to drive the original two I had/learned on - the celica and corolla - circa 1988. They feel "fast" because they are not filled with buffers and goodies. Straight up driving experience. This little Peugeot is awesome!

My driving story is VERY similar as yours Pete - had first lesson at 17, seven lessons later, I passed my test in Feb '88. I delayed and delayed watching this, incase you didn't like it. So great you loved it, as usual, great content !

Brings back so many fond memories. Sold my 1986 Renault GT Turbo to get a six month old 88 1.9 GTI in white. Yes the GT Turbo was quicker 0-60 but was bloody dangerous in the wrong hands. The 205 GTI was way better on handling and much more planted especially in the wet. Sadly the Puegot interior was not great, indeed I got so fed up with my glove box keep coming open I superglued it shut!!!The power steering packed up on mine after less than a year and cost a fortune to fix, but hey I was 24 years old and the envy of many of my mates.The one in your video is awesome and exquisitely restored. The sounds of that engine sounded so familiar. Excellent video.👍😀

A beautifully restored 205! Great to see your pleasure. Time machine is a great way of describing such a car. I had the same feeling the other day when one of my friends invited me to go on a ride with his Trabi, East German legend made of plastic, with a two-stroke engine delivering 26(!) hp. It was such a fun! He even had a tool box and a flashlight from the 1970s in his boot! The sound and the smell of the exhaust gas. That was time machine feeling! It was actually a modern Trabi with a proper fuel gauge. The older ones had a dipstick you had to put in the tank. Avoiding that you always had to do your maths and count the miles after your last filling stop. 😂😂😂

I had one that was almost identical to this one in 1997. Was a 1989 model. Bought it off my friends mom who had it from new. Used to thrash the living daylights out of it. Literally had one friend cry and said he'd never be a passenger again. Amazing handling. I never even came close to crashing it. Sold it in 2001 for £999. If only I'd kept it!

The smile on your face said it all, luckily as a 17 year old girl, I was able to own my hero, a Lada Riva, to my dads total disbelief at the time, this was the only car I wanted, so my parents bought for me a nearly new Lada Riva 1300SL, it was so cheap to buy, I had lots of fun and happy times with that car, and loved it so much, I would not have swapped it for any car on earth!!.

In terms of style, this car wouldn't look out of place on the roads today. What a beauty! 😍😍

I used to get a lift in a work colleagues red 1.9 gti from Clapham to Wimbledon almost every day and although it wasn’t a long journey I can remember it like it was yesterday. An amazing car !! Can’t wait to meet my car hero, the Ferrari F40 might be a long wait!!

Fantastic... So.. back in the day I worked for Peugeot-Talbot and in 1994 was fortunate to own a Black '88 (F Reg) 1.9 GTI. It was previously owned by the Radio 1 DJ Mark Goodier. I had it for about 3 years and oh boy.... wish I still had it now.

My dad absolutely loves 205's, I spent alot of time in them growing up. 18 years old and my dream car is twice as old as I am haha, I cannot wait to get my own at some point!

Another brilliant drive Pete! Brings me 34 years back to when I too learnt to drive on a 205... 1.6 GTI here in France! With the instructor telling me to step on the gas and bloody use the 115 hp ! He ended up changing his fleet of GTIs for the 1.9 diesels as his petrol bills were soaring 😬! How lucky I was in 1986, indeed! Can’t wait for the next video. Keep up the brilliant work! Enjoy !

Absolutely brilliant Pete - my lovely late Mum bought a new Pug 1.6 GTI in 1988 and she loved it to bits - I always loved the 205’s and this bought it all back - just seeing your expressions kind of said it all - thanks for sharing - and in closing I was so sorry to hear of the passing of your Mum - all the very best to you and your family bud.❤️

So much glass in them old motors. Can't beat the old classics 😁👌👍

So much want for the Pug. My second car was a 205 Junior, with a 1124cc engine. Nowadays, the power output of it would not pull the skin off of a rice pudding. I think it was 50bhp. But, as you said, Pete, it weighted nothing. And it had oodles of personality. Mine was the same colour as this GTi, and I had black denim seats with yellow piping. It was a great car for long journeys. When I had mine, the motorway network in Ireland was practically non-existent. It was a great car for the back road. I’ve got so much nostalgia for that car right now.

Playing catch up and what a start to the journey. Nostalgic and rewarding to see (and drive as per your smile). All the best.

Best thing you’ll buy, wish I still had my Silver 205 1.6 GTI

One of the best Videos you have Filmed. I was 12 when you passed your Test. One of the best classic Hot Hatches

I was drooling over that very car a week or so ago along with a few other beauties (including a lovely Cobra rep and Mustang), it had original stickers on the windows etc., you are very lucky to drive that machine!

I owned a 1.6 version of the 205GTi, back in the early 90's.. Great car, nearest thing to a road going go-cart.. brilliant.. great video, as to always.

Wish I'd bought one years so. One thing I'd never do though is fit anything other than standard Peugeot springs and dampers, in the 80s and 90s they were masters of the art.

This made me cry. This was my Baby. My first car in 1986, right after I got my license. 1.6 L.- It was the BEST. I got my top speed for that time at 197 Kmh, downhill and with the wind in the back. On a side note, compared to today's Mini, - the 205 is about 5 inches shorter!, but it never felt that tiny.

The first hot hatch that i lusted after was a Renault 5 Alpine/Gordini in a brochure. This was arguably the first hot hatch as we know them today as it went on sale a few months before the Golf GTI in 1976 , although the Golf was revealed the year before , it looked just like a regular model for the first few years compared to the 5 , which had a 5 speed gearbox instead of 4 , proper alloy wheels and sporty seats. For some reason the GTI took 3 years to become available in the UK and by the early 1980's it was the most sought after of them all and made hot hatches even more popular resulting in numerous rival manufacturers sticking a GTI badge onto the fastest model in the range to help increase sales !.

Nostalgia is a wonderful thing! I passed my test in 1990, and being a Ford fan I couldn't afford an XR3i, so had a few Orion 1.6i Ghia's, as they were much more insurance friendly! Fast forward to 2018 and the urge to relive my youth was too strong and I bought a totally standard 1989 1.6i Ghia. I own a classic Mustang and a modern Shelby Mustang but I get just as much enjoyment out of the Orions 105 BHP as either of the Mustangs! Enjoyed the 205 review, more 80s reviews please!

Just love the enthusiasm with every video posted!

Great video.. i remember driving a 205 Gti 1.9 back in 1991 but last minute switched ti a R5 GT Turbo purely based on the 0 - 60 times..great cars in their time.. felt quite nostalgic watching! I too passed my driving test 17.1.1989 - 8 lessons. Keep the content coming Pete..

Memories of the mid nineties when every boy racer had one of these or the 5 turbo, rs turbo. Living near Mansfield which gained a reputation for having a racing circuit around the town. These things where out every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

I passed in 205 Diesel too, my mums driving school one!

I have owned exactly the same 205 1.9 GTI in the 90's, then I've bought a second-hand Golf GTI 16S. I have great souvenirs with the Golf GTI 16S. It's crazy to see how cars have changed since 30 years.

Those were the days, my first car was a 1 litre metro and sometimes it was quicker walking but the memories of your 1st motor, could never have afforded the insurance for a 205 gti back then but was jealous when they flew past.. all the rattles add to the charm 😀

I knew someone who was a Porsche man through and through who was loaned the 1.9 while his Porsche was being serviced and was so impressed that he sold the Porsche and bought the 1.9

I've bought my first 205 cti in 1999,i fell in love with it.. Still have it.. Then in 2005 I bought my 205 1.9gti from 1992,in very mint condition,still have that one to. Every time I ride it I feel what u are feeling driving this beauty. Had a 309 gti to, regret selling it the day after I sold it. I love my Peugeot's ❤️😍🥰💖

My brother had a black 1.9 exactly same as this one.. I always wanted one. My dad had a MI16 in white with full skirts and kit, stunning car. Great vid Ped. Made me smile 😊

Thanks for taking me down memory lane I had one in 1996 the thing I remember the most was the throttle response and how short the travel was compared to any other car at the time

Had one of these in when I was 21 yrs old in 1986 . Drove from stoke to Loch Ness with the girlfriend and did 1300 miles in 3 days .Epic . Just watching your video I could swear I felt my hair growing back to my George Micheal hairstyle . Thanks mate

I had to reply again, when I collected my first new car, a 1.4 LX Escort in 92 with my late father at Charters in Aldershot there was a 309 GTI Goodwood with the wooden steering wheel and that amazing green paint. Also there was a Polaris grey RS2000 which I drooled over lol This vid has provoked so many memories, thank you mate.