| The French automobile producer Peugeot | | | | produced just over one hundred and five break |
| manufactured the 205 for fourteen years, | | | | horse power, but the power was increased by |
| between nineteen eighty three and nineteen | | | | around ten break horse power when the new |
| ninety seven. The production of the car in the UK | | | | XU5JA engine was fitted which had larger valves |
| ceased a year earlier, in nineteen ninety six. The | | | | shared with the one point nine engine. The one |
| higher performing GTI hatchback was equipped | | | | point nine litre engine produced one hundred and |
| with either one point six or one point nine litre | | | | twenty six break horse power, yet the power |
| engines, producing over one hundred and five | | | | was decreased in the late models, down to one |
| break horse power for the smaller of the two | | | | hundred and twenty. The decreased power was |
| engines. The 205 was awarded the "Car of the | | | | seen as an answer to the increased insurance |
| Decade" in CAR magazine in the nineties, and the | | | | premiums for the car which was badly affecting |
| 205 GTI is often cited as the hottest of the "hot | | | | sales. |
| hatches". | | | | There were subtle differences between the one |
| For the inexperienced driver the 205 GTI will likely | | | | point six and one point nine litre models. The one |
| be more difficult to drive than its modern day | | | | point six model had clothed seats, smaller alloys, |
| counterparts, with the lack of electronic driving | | | | and disc / drum brakes. The larger engine |
| aids and the oversteer experienced when | | | | variation had half leather seats, fifteen inch alloys, |
| cornering hard. The initial one point six litre engine | | | | and all round disk brakes. |