1991 Peugeot 205 GTi

Brace yourselves for this iconic 90s hot hatch; it is something every hot hatch fan dreams of finding. 

This beautiful Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6 was registered on August 1st, 1991 when the original owner took the car home. It was unknown at the time, but the lady who purchased it soon stopped driving, and the car sat garaged for several years. 

The car was purchased for a collection, where it stayed for several years, and so was never registered with the new keeper. 

In 2019, it went to a classic car specialist who decided it was worth returning the, at the time, 16,720-mile GTI to its former glory by carrying out an extensive restoration, which included thousands of pounds spent on the mechanics and a full bare metal restoration following a minor scrape on the wing which happened several years ago. Since then, a recent bare metal respray has again been carried out in 2023, still at 16,720 miles, to give it a real factory fresh look. 

The car was then sold into our vendor's collection, where it has been enjoyed as a visual work of art rather than being driven for the past 12 months. Still unregistered with another owner, the V5C shows zero previous keepers, and the car has covered minimal mileage since it was rescued from the lady's garage.

What you are looking at here is probably very nearly as fresh as it was when it left the factory in 1991. The car is presented in Miami Blue, having only been applied in March 2023. 

Looking from the front, the lower fog lights, along with many other exterior parts of the 205, were replaced during the restoration. The indicators and headlights are in excellent condition. There is an unfortunate small scuff on the passenger-side corner of the bumper, but this is a minor issue when you consider how superbly this car has been put together at an enormous cost. 

Around to the sides, the door gaps are equal and matching, and the wheel arch and door trims are in good condition with no scuffs. All of the windows are excellent, with no signs of scratches. The quarter windows open correctly, new B-pillar vinyl has been applied, and new 1.6 GTi side badges fitted. It is also worth noting here that this is a more desirable non-sunroof car. 

The rear has just as good a finish as the rest of the car. Both light lenses are free from any splits or cracks, and a set of factory GTI mudflaps are fitted on each corner. 

Fitted with the factory pepperpot-style alloy wheels, these are in excellent condition and have been shod in a matching set of Pirelli Cinturato tyres, which are like new.

Jump in the 1991 icon and within a second, you will be straight back there, thanks to the excellent original factory interior. 

The red and dark grey cheque centre front seats are in excellent condition with minimal signs of use, as you would expect with such low mileage. The rear seat poses the same condition as are both door cards, which are superb. 

Sitting behind the GTI steering wheel brings back nostalgia when looking across the dashboard. There is no damage to see, and the instruments are working correctly; the odometer shows a reading of 16,779 miles. 

All of the switchgear is pretty much like new and the original factory Clarion cassette player is in place. 

The bright red carpets are nice and clean, having been protected with a set of carpet mats; looking up at the headlining, this is in good condition with no sagging. Inside the boot area, the vinyl floor is clean and tidy and rare to see from any 90s car is a complete parcel shelf without any speaker holes.

On the mechanical side, despite such low mileage, the 205 has been given an extensive overhaul, as detailed in the paperwork images. The restoration even went as far as removing the engine and gearbox to thoroughly detail the engine and engine bay. 

The 1.6-litre pocket rocket fires up without hesitation and runs with no issues reported. A full service was carried out in March 2023 at the current mileage. 

As you would expect, the gearbox has a smooth, tight change. As part of the mechanical restoration, new inner and outer CV boots, track rod ends, and a new rear silencer were fitted. 

Following replacement brake hoses, brake cylinders, front brake discs, and rear brake drums, the car can be stopped confidently. These were fitted in 2019, but the car has not covered any miles since then. 

The 205 GTI was always a fantastic handling car, and with the addition of new shock absorbers, front top mounts and various bushes replaced, the car feels as it should on the road. 

Looking at the underside of the car, this has seen a serious amount of hours ploughed into it to make it look as good as possible. The front and rear subframes have been removed and powder-coated along with the steering components. Attention was also turned to the floor, where any dings and dents were treated as required to bring back a factory look, and if you look under the arches, you will see just what we mean.

Making up the history file for the 205 are the original owner’s handbooks and service book that shows seven service stamps. There are also several invoices for previous services dating mainly from the late 1990s to the mid-2000s. 

The invoices from 2019 to 2023 are the most interesting as they show just how much time, parts, and money has been put into the 205 to bring it to the superb condition you see here. But be warned, some of the invoices you will blink twice and take a second look at. 

The car has a current MoT, which is valid until the 17th of April 2025, and the 205 passed with no advisories.

We all love a 1990s hot hatch, and to be quite frank, this is probably the best one we have seen. With technically one owner on paper from new and an amazingly low 16,779 miles, it quite simply doesn’t get any better for anyone looking to take the nostalgic trip back to the 1990s. 

We estimate this iconic 1991 Peugeot 205 GTI will fetch in the region of £30,000 - £35,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.