This Ultra-Rare Peugeot 205 T16 Makes the GR Yaris Look Like a Toy | $350K Hot Hatch Icon!
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In the world of rare performance cars, few machines stir the soul of true petrolheads like rally-bred hot hatches. And now, a legend from the golden era of Group B rallying is making headlines again. Meet the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16, a mid-engine monster from the 1980s that’s poised to command up to $350,000 at auction—making even the mighty GR Yaris look like a toy in comparison.
Back in the 1980s, rallying was the wild west of motorsports. Group B regulations allowed manufacturers to push the boundaries of speed, design, and technology. And while the Renault 5 Turbo often steals the spotlight, Peugeot’s response—the 205 T16—may just be the most underrated homologation hero of them all.
Only 200 road-going units of the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 were ever built. That scarcity alone would make it a gem among collectors. But this specific car? It’s on a whole different level. With just 3,216 kilometers on the clock and a meticulous restoration under its belt, it’s not just rare—it’s pristine.
This mid-engined hatchback was born from rally glory. Peugeot’s 205 T16 claimed back-to-back WRC championships in 1985 and 1986, firmly establishing its performance credentials. And the road-legal version was no watered-down imitation. While stripped of some extreme race gear, it retained the turbocharged 1.8-liter inline-four delivering 197 horsepower and 188 lb-ft of torque. That power went to all four wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox, providing rally-like handling to lucky owners.
What really makes this car impressive is its lightweight construction. At just under 1,000 kg, the 205 T16 delivers a raw, agile driving experience that modern hot hatches can only dream of. It may not have touchscreen displays or driving modes—but what it does offer is an unfiltered connection to the road and a mechanical honesty that’s been all but lost in today’s tech-heavy vehicles.
This particular example, up for auction with Bonhams, stands out even among its already rare siblings. The current owner acquired the car in early 2022 and invested over $200,000 into its restoration and maintenance. That includes a new suspension system, radiator, clutch, alternator, and upgraded coolant lines—ensuring the car doesn’t just look good, but runs flawlessly.
And yet, it remains barely driven, making it one of the lowest-mileage Peugeot 205 T16s in the world. It’s finished in the classic factory color, and like all road versions, comes in left-hand drive—a decision made by Peugeot to simplify production.
So, what makes this hot hatch worth Ferrari money? It’s a combination of racing heritage, rarity, originality, and the restoration pedigree. The auction estimate, which pegs it close to $350,000, aligns with the rising value of iconic 1980s homologation specials. And honestly, for a car that helped define an era, that figure might not be so outrageous after all.
In today’s market, where hypercars are often kept in climate-controlled garages, the 205 T16 is a living time capsule, a car born for action, forged in rally combat, and revived with loving precision. It’s a piece of history that still wants to play.
So if modern supercars don’t stir your soul the way a turbocharged, rally-born hatchback from the ’80s does—this Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 might just be your ultimate dream machine.
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This Ultra-Rare Peugeot 205 T16 Makes the GR Yaris Look Like a Toy | $350K Hot Hatch Icon!
#Peugeot205T16
#GroupBRallyLegend
#HotHatchHistory
In the world of rare performance cars, few
machines stir the soul of true petrolheads like rally-bred hot hatches. And now, a legend
from the golden era of Group B rallying is making headlines again. Meet the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16,
a mid-engine monster from the 1980s that’s poised to command up to $350,000 at auction—making even
the mighty GR Yaris look like a toy in comparison. Back in the 1980s, rallying was the
wild west of motorsports. Group B regulations allowed manufacturers to
push the boundaries of speed, design, and technology. And while the Renault
5 Turbo often steals the spotlight, Peugeot’s response—the 205 T16—may just be the
most underrated homologation hero of them all. Only 200 road-going units of the
Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 were ever built. That scarcity alone would make it
a gem among collectors. But this specific car? It’s on a whole different level.
With just 3,216 kilometers on the clock and a meticulous restoration under its
belt, it’s not just rare—it’s pristine. This mid-engined hatchback was born from rally
glory. Peugeot’s 205 T16 claimed back-to-back WRC championships in 1985 and 1986, firmly
establishing its performance credentials. And the road-legal version was no watered-down
imitation. While stripped of some extreme race gear, it retained the turbocharged 1.8-liter
inline-four delivering 197 horsepower and 188 lb-ft of torque. That power went to all four
wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox, providing rally-like handling to lucky owners. What really makes this car impressive is its
lightweight construction. At just under 1,000 kg, the 205 T16 delivers a raw, agile
driving experience that modern hot hatches can only dream of. It may not
have touchscreen displays or driving modes—but what it does offer is an
unfiltered connection to the road and a mechanical honesty that’s been all
but lost in today’s tech-heavy vehicles. This particular example, up for auction with
Bonhams, stands out even among its already rare siblings. The current owner acquired the car
in early 2022 and invested over $200,000 into its restoration and maintenance. That includes a new
suspension system, radiator, clutch, alternator, and upgraded coolant lines—ensuring the car
doesn’t just look good, but runs flawlessly. And yet, it remains barely driven, making it
one of the lowest-mileage Peugeot 205 T16s in the world. It’s finished in the classic
factory color, and like all road versions, comes in left-hand drive—a decision
made by Peugeot to simplify production. So, what makes this hot hatch worth Ferrari money?
It’s a combination of racing heritage, rarity, originality, and the restoration pedigree.
The auction estimate, which pegs it close to $350,000, aligns with the rising value
of iconic 1980s homologation specials. And honestly, for a car that helped define an era,
that figure might not be so outrageous after all. In today’s market, where hypercars are
often kept in climate-controlled garages, the 205 T16 is a living time capsule, a car
born for action, forged in rally combat, and revived with loving precision. It’s a
piece of history that still wants to play. So if modern supercars don’t stir your soul
the way a turbocharged, rally-born hatchback from the ’80s does—this Peugeot 205 Turbo 16
might just be your ultimate dream machine.
