R.A-S.H: The Peugeot 505.

Welcome back to the fifteenth instalment of Steven Hawkings favourite Car Brochure Archive based internet discussion forum series.

We’ve been gallivanting all over the world this week, and before we put the series to bed for the week, we’re going to pay a visit to French France, to explore the manufacturers view of a product that seems to be celebrated rather keenly on Hooniverse.

It’s the Peugeot 505.

“The atmosphere inside a new 505 is one of pure self-indulgence”.

Well, if that were true I’d expect it to be filled with empty chocolate wrappers and beer bottles. But, no. It was just marketing hyperbole that presumably addressed the top-of-the-line models with their leather upholstery, electric windows and heated seats. And an instrument panel which:

“…would grace the cockpit of an executive jet aircraft”.

That was one of the most overused clichés of the decade, and I doubt we’ve seen the back of it yet.

Regrettably, this brochure doesn’t touch the V6 model, with its Peugeot, Renault, Volvo, Alpine, DeLorean 2.8 litre V6 engine. That model erupted a little later than the scope of this January ’86 brochure. For now, though, the basic GR and GRD models of 505 were rather more plainly equipped than the full on GTi Executive at the top of the range. The tacho was gone, a vast analogue clock taking its place. And it forewent the leather trim, making do with hard wearing “mosaic” cloth. No matter;

“The seating is armchair standard throughout……working with the sports-quality suspension to make every journey a voyage of delight”.

The Tach was back in the SR and SRD, as were a smattering of electrical goodies. It was at this price-point that the 2.5 litre turbodiesel engine made an appearance, “Delivering its 95 BHP in a smooth surge”. The same engine was used by Ford in it’s Granada and Scorpio line, but they never mentioned its Peugeot origins, obviously. Truthfully this was just the continuation of a relationship that had been happening with the old 2.1 litre diesel, but, anyway. I digress.

“The Peugeot 505 SR saloons, masterly essays in sheer style.”

All of which brings us to the range-topping GTi and GTD models. Of which they claimed:

“In these two GT variants you see the epitome of high-class high-performance travel. Cars for the connoisseur, they combine the ultimate in luxury with brilliant behaviour on the road, so satisfy the most demanding and most enthusiastic motorists.”

Top marks to the writers; but only partial credit for the car. It was well-enough regarded for its road manners, but pre-V6 (or Turbo, for that matter),  could only muster zero to sixty in eleven seconds, or fourteen as a diesel. It would top out at 113mph, a far cry from the executive jet mentioned earlier. But, irrespective of such trivia; to finish, let’s have a further salvo from the canon of the Peugeot Copywriter:

“Combinations of superb engineering and aesthetics, they offer limousine comfort in packages that defy competition. Glide graciously around town and turn every head. Or give these cars their head on trans-continental trips. Either way you feel the thoroughbread (sic) qualities of a magnificent breed”.

<Disclaimer:- All photos were taken by the author and are of genuine original manufacturer publicity material. All copyright rights remain in the possession of the manufacturer, who Must Try Harder>