One to Buy: 1 of 1 in Black ex-Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani 1985 Peugeot 205 T16 (SOLD)
Peugeot’s Group B rally programme of 1984 to 1986 along with the firm’s class-leading 205 GTi hot hatch transformed the firm from maker of rather stuffy unexciting machinery to market leader.
While Audi had the four-wheel drive production-based Quattro at its disposal and Lancia the rear-drive 037 Group B special, Peugeot combined the best of both in the all-conquering 205 T16 Evolution which became the most successful car of rallying’s most famous era.
Having debuted mid-way through the 1984 season, the T16 delivered back-to-back Manufacturer titles in the 1985 and ‘86 World Rally Championship while Timo Salonen and Juha Kankunen were respectively crowned ‘85 and ‘86 Driver’s champions.
Just 200 road cars were required to qualify for Group B which led to some extraordinary machines taking to the special stages. Peugeot’s offering was the base 205 T16, a believed unique example of which will be going under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction on August 18th.
Peugeot only officially offered the T16 in one colour, Graphite Grey, however, chassis 100177 was destined for VIP customer Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani who was able to take delivery of this stunning Black example.
Al-Thani retained chassis 100177 until 2007, by which time it had accumulated a little over 8000km.
Today the car is offered fresh from a recent major service with the odometer still showing under 8700km.
Reprinted below is RM Sotheby’s description for this superb believed one-off 205 T16:
Estimate: USD $350,000 - $450,000
Chassis No.: VF3741R76E5100177
Documents: US Title
One of just 200 roadgoing 205 Turbo 16s constructed
Originally delivered to UK-based Qatari Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and owned by him for more than 20 years
Just three subsequent private owners and a recorded odometer reading of 8,696 km (~5,404 mi.) at cataloguing
Believed to be the only 205 Turbo 16 finished in black, at the original owner’s request
Benefitted from a comprehensive service in January 2022 by Rally specialists BGMsport
Accompanied by an extensive history file including its UK registration documents, factory manuals, and 205 Turbo 16 press brochure
Despite formidable opposition from Audi and Lancia, by 1986 the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 had emerged as the car to beat in the World Rally Championship. In just three years, it had taken 16 WRC wins from 26 starts and consecutive Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ titles; its progress only halted by the enforced abandonment of Group B regulations at the end of 1986.
As had rival manufacturers, Peugeot took advantage of the technical freedom and comparatively modest homologation requirements of Group B to produce 200 road-legal 205 Turbo 16s. Bearing only a passing resemblance to the production 205, the Turbo 16 was a masterpiece of packaging; its rear-mounted, 1.8-liter turbocharged engine operating in conjunction with a complex viscous-coupled four-wheel drive system beneath a hinged, racing-style rear clamshell. At approximately 200 horsepower, the Turbo 16’s output was barely half that of its competition counterpart, yet 60 mph was still achieved in under seven seconds en route to a top speed of 132 mph.
Originally delivered to London-based Qatari Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Thani, this particular example was the 177th road-legal Turbo 16 constructed. Unusually finished in black, it was used regularly on the streets of the capital, and it was serviced throughout its original ownership by Peugeot agents Warwick Wright of Chiswick, West London.
Sheikh Al-Thani retained the car until July 2007, at which point it had covered just 8,062 kilometers. Thereafter, ownership passed to Hafid Dilaimi, also of London, who appears to have used the car minimally; its odometer reading having increased by only 28 kilometers when he sold it to Tom Kirby of Stroud, Gloucestershire in January 2013. In Mr. Kirby’s ownership, the car was fastidiously maintained and prepared for concours events, its appearance at the prestigious Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace being a particular highlight.
In January 2022, the car was treated to a comprehensive service by renowned rally preparation specialists BGMSport of Brackley, Northamptonshire, at a cost of almost $14,000. This included cambelt, filter, and fluid changes as well as the fitment of new clutch and brake master cylinders, refurbishment of all four wheels, and professional detailing. Suitably refreshed, the car was acquired by the vendor last year, in whose custody it has continued to be used extremely sparingly.
Displaying just 8,696 kilometers (~5,404 miles) at the time of cataloguing, and with impeccable provenance and a commensurately comprehensive history file, this remains a magnificently correct example of perhaps the most accomplished and practical of all road-legal Group B designs. For these reasons—not to mention its dynamic capabilities or illustrious sporting heritage—the term “homologation special” has never seemed more appropriate.
