One to Buy: 12,000km from new 1984 Peugeot 205 T16 (SOLD)
Although Lancia were first out of the blocks with a purpose-built Group B rally car, the Italian company’s failure to equip their Abarth-designed 037 with all-wheel drive for reasons of complexity left the door open for a new challenger to come in and steal the advantage.
That car was the Peugeot 205 T16 which, with its four-wheel drive running gear, mid-engine layout and immense tuning potential, went on to become the undisputed king of the fabled Group B era.
While Lancia subsequently came up with the turbocharged and supercharged Delta S4, it couldn’t stop Peugeot winning back-to-back World Driver and Manufacturer titles in 1985 and ‘86, even though the French firm were stopped from competing with a T16 Evolution 3 after the FIA banned further Evolutions following the fatal crash of Henri Toivonen and Sergio Cresto on the 1986 Tour de Corse.
To homologate the 205 T16 for Group B, Peugeot had to build a run of 200 road-going versions, one of which is currently on offer at the Fiskens showroom in London.
Completed in early 1984, this particular car has covered just 12,000km from new and reputedly spent most of its life in a renowned Dutch collection.
In 2022 it was imported to the UK, since which time it has undergone a major service by the noted T16 experts at Geoff Page Racing in Maldon, Essex.
Reprinted below is Fiskens’ description:
One of 200 built to homologate the T16 model which would go on to be the most successful car to compete in the last two years of the WRC’s Group B era winning the 1985 and 1986 Constructor’s and Drivers’ titles
A sparingly used example showing only 12,000kms
Returned to the UK in 2022 after forming part of a renowned Dutch collection
Fresh from a recent major service work by marque expert Geoff Page Racing
£250,000
