1990 PEUGEOT 205 GTI 1.9 - OWNED BY ANDREW FRANKEL

BY ANDREW FRANKEL

When I was a young idiot in my very early 20s, working in The City, riding the horns of Thatcher’s bull market where almost anyone could make money, your car was part of your uniform, along with your chalk stripe double breasted suit and red braces. If you were established you had a Porsche 911 Carrera, Guards Red with a Pasha interior, but we moronic youngsters had a choice: a Mk2 Golf GTI or a Peugeot 205 GTI.

Except to me it was never a choice. Because I’m now a car journalist and therefore paid to drive other people’s machines, I’ve only ever bought two brand new cars in my life – one was a Caterham, the other my beloved 1.6 205 GTI, bought from £6495 from Warwick Wright Motors in the autumn of 1985. I kept it for two years until finally parting entirely with my senses and part exchanging it in for a worn out Lotus Esprit. I tried to find it the other day, but sadly if not very surprisingly, B636XYL appears to be no more.

But I never forgot it because it was the car in which I learned to drive. This, of course, is entirely distinct from being able to demonstrate sufficient command over a vehicle to be able to pass a driving test. Before the 205 I could indeed operate a car. But only afterwards I could really drive. It was the car whose perfectly positioned pedals taught me to heel and toe, and whose perfectly balanced chassis showed me what people actually meant when they talked about ‘steering the car on the throttle’. I used to go to the roundabout under London’s Westway in the dead of night and just go round and round, sometimes clinging to the inside of the curve, sometimes skirting along its very edge, altering the car’s trajectory with right foot alone, never once changing the steering angle. That 205 was an education.

Yet, if possible in these days where even enthusiast cars are heavy and numb by comparison, this one is even more of an education. I bought it back in 2012 after I’d dreamt up a silly story for Autocar called the Hot Hatch World Cup. The idea was we’d take cars from all countries that had produced fast hatches - from Sweden to Korea I seem to recall - and pitch one against one another until only two remained, which turned out to be a 205 GTI 1.9 and Lancia Delta Integrale. And after an afternoon skidding about in both I didn’t want the Peugeot to win because I’d already decided to buy one and didn’t want to do anything to spike prices. But it had to: it was then what it remains today: the finest hot hatch ever built.

My memory says I looked at dozens before finding this one, but it was probably fewer than ten. Even so and even back then, finding a really good 205 which I’d not be afraid to use was not easy. So many cars looked the part superficially because for a 1980s French tin box they’re surprisingly rot resistant, but some were not in full working order, others showed signs of a hard life or neglect whether it be through scuffed rims, broken trim or dirty oil, and not one drove correctly.

So I had few hopes for this one and only went to see it because I happened to be in London for a meeting. The dealer selling it knew nothing about it except that it was a Miami Blue limited edition – which I knew nothing about and couldn’t care less that it was one of 300 cars and had full leather upholstery – and that it had been stored for a while. But as soon as I saw it I suspected I’d found the car, and as soon as I’d driven it a mile I knew. I knew what it should feel like, and it did. The engine was strong and smooth, the gearbox quick and slick. It was actually even more tail happy than I remembered but I put that down to the combination of old Toyo and Yokohama rubber on which it sat. After a while I put it on a set of Dunlops it still wears, because back then they were the only tyres from a decent manufacturer that fitted. They calmed the back end down beautifully, but I still crave a new set of old style Michelin MXVs…

The car was completely standard save an aftermarket exhaust that I wasted no time in returning to the original specification. It was a pre-cat model which was essential, and had power steering which I really wanted too, not so much for the lighter steering effort but the quicker steering rack that goes with it. Others will disagree and say unassisted 205s are purer, but because they are so low geared you have to drive them from the elbows, not the wrists which was the only thing I didn’t like about my old 1.6. And parking is a pain.

The only thing I didn’t want was the sunroof, but I could barely find a decent 205 let alone one of the very few 1.9s without a glass panel, so I put up with it. I never use it, but at least twice a year I open it just to stop the rubbers from fossilising and to make sure it still seals properly. It does.

And yet it needs to go, and for the same reason all my half decent cars have needed to go: as you will see from the pitiful mileages accrued between annual services, it just doesn’t get used. When you earn your living driving cars, finding time for them to be your hobby too is hard. Its biggest problem is that it is at its best on the long cross country journeys for which I always need to be driving something else. It is, in short, too good and when a car’s role in your life is reduced to making you feel guilty about not using it every time you see it, it’s time for it to move on.

I’ll be sad to see it go but happy that someone has found a really good 205 given its age and mileage, and hopeful that he or she will use it – and therefore enjoy it – far more than me.

THE CAR OFFERED

This highly original 205 GTI 1.9 was first registered on 6 March 1990 - the original order invoice is even in the history file - and there are just four previous registered keepers on the log book. It has been owned by well-known motoring journalist Andrew Frankel since December 2012, and has been used for various features during that time. It has starred on the cover of Octane magazine, and both in and on the cover of Autocar magazine, so can claim to be one of the most recognisable 205 GTIs existent.

Its bodywork presents in superb condition, with consistent panel gaps and shut lines. The only part known not to be original is the front bumper, which was damaged by another car at low speed. A new bumper and associated trim were sourced and fitted by marque specialist Pug1Off to an as-new standard. The front mud flaps and rear decal were supplied on the car from new. The Miami Blue paint finish is smooth and glossy all around the body, and the light lenses and rear reflector strip are all in good order. It rides on the original 15-inch Speedline alloy wheels, and the clarity of the casting marks suggests they have never been refurbished.

Inside, the full grey leather upholstery presents very well, with only modest wear visible on the driver’s side seat bolster, commensurate with the age and mileage. The seller also notes that the squab bolster would benefit from re-stuffing. The steering wheel is correct and in great shape, and the rest of the interior trim also looks superb.

A non-original radio head unit is fitted, but the original item can be supplied with the car. There is also an aftermarket CD changer in the passenger footwell, installed prior to the seller’s ownership, which is inoperative. There are no faults with any of the switchgear or electrics, with the seller noting only an occasional squeak from the rear hatch that may benefit from a squirt of oil on the hinges and catch.

The last scheduled maintenance was carried out in August 2019 at Morton Motors in Monmouth. This consisted of a standard oil service with renewal of the brake fluid, top up of the coolant, and cleaning of the dashboard rheostat. It was also serviced in 2018, though the paperwork has been misplaced, and prior to this in July 2017 at 90,970 miles, and in June 2016 at 90,640 miles. There is a cambelt replacement in the history file in 2011 at approximately 85,000 miles, though the seller believes it has been done within his ownership as well.

The last MOT test was on 20 August 2020 at 92,041 miles, with a few advisories noting some wear to the inner faces of the rear brake discs, and some minor suspension noises. The tyres were fitted around six years old, and have approximately 4mm of tread remaining at the front and 5mm at the rear.

Accompanying the car are all of the original books, including the owner's manual and the stamped service record. There is a great history file, containing a raft of paperwork, and even the original order invoice. Two keys are also present.

This Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9 is a wonderfully original and honest example of one of the most celebrated hot hatches of all time. While many such cars have been sullied by modifications or have been neglected over the years, this car remains gloriously pure and has been regularly maintained throughout its life. It performs exactly as it should, with the seller noting the strong engine and slick gearchange, and has been safely garaged when not in use over the last eight years. Presented in excellent condition, and boasting superb provenance, this 205 GTI is an opportunity not to be missed.

Summary of service history:

• 02/04/90 - 987 miles
• 10/08/90 - 6039 miles
• 18/01/91 - 12,035 miles
• 04/07/91 - 18,767 miles
• 13/11/91 - 24,023 miles
• 05/05/92 - 29,524 miles
• 19/08/92 - 34,076 miles
• 23/08/93 - 42,042 miles
• 16/08/94 - 47,838 miles
• 22/09/95 - 53,904 miles
• 02/10/96 - 59,303 miles
• 25/11/97 - 66,410 miles
• 23/10/98 - 72,869 miles
• 27/06/00 - 77,720 miles
• 08/06/09 - 84,457 miles
• 20/08/12 - 86,589 miles
• 17/01/13 - 87,135 miles
• 26/06/15 - 89,411 miles
• 30/06/16 - 90,630 miles
• 11/07/17 - 90,970 miles
• 2018 - serviced, but paperwork missing
• 15/08/19 - 91,796 miles

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