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Some new cars manage to anticipate the future and make many of its rivals look archaic; the Citroën DS in 1959, the Mini in 1959, the Fiat 128 in 1969 and the Audi 100 C3 in 1982. And when Peugeot unveiled their latest small hatchback in February 1983, there was a sense that “The 1980s” really had commenced. Even after 38 years, Gérard Welter’s styling barely dates, and for an idea of the 205’s impact in the UK, picture a bright red GR amidst a sea of second-hand Ford Cortina Mk. Vs and Talbot Solaras.

Peugeot began Projet M24, in 1977 and to say it was an essential model for the PSA Group would be an understatement. Much of the parent company’s line-up was ageing while the 104 had never matched the success of the Renault 5. Furthermore, the acquisition of Citroën in 1974 - and Chrysler’s European operations in 1978 - placed a considerable drain on corporate resources.

The M24 used torsion bar suspension at the rear - a first for Peugeot – to maximise cabin space, while the engine bay was designed to accommodate a variety of PSA units. By 1981 Peugeot’s general director Jean Boillot decreed the new model would be known as the 205 rarer than the proposed 105; he reasoned that it was to be upmarket of the 104.

Production commenced in November 1982, with British sales starting in September 1983. At that time, the Austin Metro was the typical UK supermini, and the 205 also competed against the latest Ford Fiesta Mk. II and the Vauxhall Nova. The Peugeot’s major rival was the equally new Uno; the Fiat defeated the Peugeot to become COTY 1984.

Motor of 22^nd October 1983 tested the mid-range 1.4-litre GR and seemed impressed but not overawed. In the writer’s view, it was ‘the prettiest car to come out of Peugeot in a long while’ and ‘the 205 will be hard to beat’ if they rectified the poor ventilation. However, ‘the competition is worthy and mostly cheaper’, and at £4.995, the GR was more expensive than a Metro HLE, a Uno 45 Super ES, a Nissan Micra GL and a 5 GTL Series I.

Yet, many 205 enthusiasts would justifiably argue that it is impossible to put a price on quality. By 1984 it was France’s best-selling car; its image further enhanced a new high-performance version. The original flagship of the range was the very agreeable GT, but it was ‘the only GTi worth a second look’ that created an impact on a par with the Mini-Cooper back in 1961.

The GTi deserves an entire blog in its own right, but its lesser-powered stablemates occupy the limelight for now. Should you wish for an idea of how radically different even the humblest 1.1 GL appeared in late 1983, take a look at the backgrounds of almost any TV drama series of that year. The 205 really was a car that made so many of its contemporaries look like throw-backs to the previous decade.

Why choose Lancaster Insurance?

Here at Lancaster, we love classic cars as much as you do and we understand what it takes to protect them for future generations.

We have links with some of the top classic car clubs around the country and some of our policies even offer discounts of up to 25% for club members.

Other benefits of classic car insurance through Lancaster can include:

• Historic rally cover
• Static show cover
• Limit mileage discounts
• Choice of repairer
• 24-hour claims helpline

Give your classic the protection it deserves and get a quote for your Peugeot today.